Hiring Veterans is Smart Business—with Beau Higgins

Summary In this conversation, Scott Schimmel and Beau Higgins discuss the challenges and opportunities in veteran transition from military to civilian life. Beau shares his personal journey from serving in the Marine Corps to building veteran hiring programs at Amazon, emphasizing the importance of networking, self-advocacy, and utilizing available resources. They explore the significance of giving back to the veteran community and the tools that can aid in job searching, including Opline, a tool designed to help veterans find suitable job matches. The discussion highlights the need for veterans to take ownership of their transition and the rewards that come from helping others in similar situations. Takeaways Veteran transition is a vocation for many, including Beau.Networking is essential for veterans to find job opportunities.Veterans often feel institutionalized and need to adapt to civilian life.Self-advocacy is crucial for veterans during their job search.Understanding the value of diversity in hiring veterans is important.Utilizing tools like Opline can simplify the job search process.Mentorship can provide guidance and support for transitioning veterans.Veterans should focus on what they want to do in their careers.Giving back to the veteran community can be rewarding.The transition process requires effort and ownership from the veteran. Sound Bites "Veteran transition is my vocation.""It’s about the bottom line.""You can’t be afraid to ask.""You have to know what you want.""Every path is different." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Veteran Transition03:08 Beau's Journey from Military to Civilian Life06:02 Building Veteran Hiring Programs at Amazon08:55 The Challenges of Transitioning Veterans12:01 Networking and Self-Advocacy for Veterans15:01 Tools and Resources for Job Searching18:06 Transitioning from Amazon to Opline21:01 The Importance of Giving Back to Veterans24:07 Conclusion and Future Endeavors About Beau Higgins Results oriented executive practiced in providing vision, strategy, and innovative ideas to complex operations. Skilled in coordinating the efforts of multiple cross-functional teams conducting strategic planning and risk management in a dynamic global environment. Demonstrated ability to deliver under pressure and produce desired results. As a Senior Manager on Amazon’s Military Affairs team, i led a team that was tasked with elevating the cross-company strategic impact, inside and outside of the company, of the considerable investment Amazon has made in the US Military Veteran community. I have since left Amazon and now support multiple efforts to grow Veteran hiring and to support the Military Community.  Connect with Beau on LinkedIn. Transitioning from military to civilian life is about more than polishing a resume — it’s about rediscovering who you are and what you truly want next. The Vector Accelerator short course guides veterans through a proven, introspective process to gain clarity, confidence, and a renewed sense of purpose. Walk away with a clear vision for your future, a supportive community, and the tools to make decisions that align with your values and goals. Get started today for free at vectoraccelerator.org