McKinsey and Hire Heroes USA – Bridging Veteran Career Gaps

In honor of Veterans Day.

McKinsey& Company said today that it is working with Hire Heroes USA to bridge the career gap for veterans. About 60% of the estimated 150,000 U.S. active-duty service members who transition from the military each year earn less during their first year after being discharged versus what they earned during active duty, according to a recent McKinsey article.

“Hire Heroes USA gave me the confidence and tools to return to the workforce. After six years out of the workforce, three years battling cancer, I didn’t know how to navigate job searches and resume writing,” said Samantha Bell, a U.S. Navy veteran who works as a clinical instructor in ABA therapy. “The coaching, friendship, and resources were invaluable as someone who felt lost and alone.”

The non- profit Hire Heroes USA has a particularly strong impact on junior enlisted personnel, who make up the core set of veterans, who may have served somewhere between three to six years, who may not have a college degree or a specialized skill, and who may not even know where to start when it comes to a post-military career.

Hire Heroes started seeing a downshift in companies’ veteran recruiting efforts, and an uptick in service members seeking earlier career transition planning, alongside lagging support for military spouses.

“We recognized that the marketplace in veterans’ issues and veteran employment was really changing a lot over the last few years, and we didn’t have a comprehensive strategic plan in place,” said Hire Heroes CEO Ross Dickman, who served 12 years in the U.S. Army. “We knew we needed help, and we knew McKinsey had worked with other organizations.”

McKinsey’s commitment to serving veterans is built into tradition of  the respected consultancy. WWI veteran James O. McKinsey founded his eponymous consultancy in 1926 after witnessing inefficiencies in military suppliers.

“Better job transitions lead to better long-term life outcomes,” said McKinsey partner Charlie Lewis, who served 13-1/2 years in active duty after graduating West Point. “It saves lives. It gives purpose. It keeps people going.”