How can Greater Boston businesses support Veterans in the Workplace?
June 14, 2019
Retired U.S. Army Colonel Mark Elliott went from commanding the largest signal brigade in the Army and running a $19B portfolio for the government to becoming the Head of Military and Veterans Affairs for JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Towards the end of his three-decade military career, Elliott was approached by a senior leader from JPMorgan Chase where he interviewed for his current role but was offered another >span class=TextRun SCXW44903395 BCX1 lang=EN-US lang=EN-US xml:lang=EN-US data-contrast=auto>Elliott never saw this side step as discouraging; in fact, this opportunity is one he is now incredibly thankful for due to the perspective it has lent him in his current role. However, adjusting to his civilian professional career did have its own challenges and learning curves. Now directing a department of thirty, Elliott says those challenges inform his approach to leading and onboarding veterans into their own civilian careers, “Stepping into the role I’m in now, I can empathize with our veterans and say, “yes I felt that same way.”
Transitioning from the military to corporate careers are different for everyone. Every veteran has a different set of skills that they bring into their new organization. But the key to success is understanding what a veteran did in the military and translating the relatability of those skills to what they are looking to achieve in a new civilian job.
With programs such as the Veterans Job Mission coalition and Hiring Our Heroes program led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, we have seen direct impact. The overall veteran unemployment rate was cut in half between 2011 and 2016 from 8% to 4.3%.
To all those currently serving in the Army or any other branch of the military, we at the Chamber thank you warmly for your service to our country.