Lessons Learned for Vets
Lessons Learned for Vets
Adapting to Corporate Culture with Nick Perez
For many veterans, like Nick Perez, transitioning from the military can feel like stepping into a new world filled with unfamiliar rules and social cues. In the latest episode of our podcast, Nick shares his experiences since retiring from the United States Air Force. Having spent decades in military service, the shift to corporate culture has brought both challenges and unexpected joys. In this episode, he gets honest while sharing stories of his job search and his experience adapting to corporate culture.
Nick’s transition began with a SkillBridge program that he engaged in just before his official retirement. This program aimed to bridge the gap between military skills and civilian job requirements. By having established connections through Allegiant Vets, he was able to hone his skills, particularly in project management, before making the leap into his new role at Dish Network as an instructional designer.
However, transitioning isn't always seamless. During his job search, Nick attended several different job fairs. He recounts frustrations faced while navigating these events, particularly the disappointment in realizing that many were more geared toward certain jobs, often unrelated to his career goals. This experience brings home the larger message about being strategic rather than unfocused in a job search.
Nick also discusses the challenges faced in interviews, from giving extensive presentations to encountering unexpected situations that felt unprofessional. The key takeaway here is the importance of valuing one's time and recognizing that an interview goes both ways. After all, it’s not simply about convincing a company to hire you; it’s equally important to assess whether their culture and values align with your own.
As Nick reflects on feeling isolated in a new workplace, he highlights the importance of finding community. He shares how joining a veteran resource group transformed his experience, offering both connection and support in navigating corporate culture. The camaraderie he found there is a reminder of the family similar to the bonds often felt in the military, and how important it is to recreate that sense of belonging.
Nick's journey emphasizes that adaptability is crucial. While he holds a somewhat cynical view on the concept of the “perfect job,” he encourages listeners to understand that career paths can be fluid. As expectations evolve, veterans can adjust their list of “non-negotiables” when evaluating potential jobs.
Nick leaves our audience with an empowering message: perseverance. No matter how challenging the transition might seem, the determination to keep moving forward is key. He reminds us that every veteran's journey is unique and should be navigated with the understanding that both good and bad days are part of the process.
You can connect with Nick Perez at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-r-perez1/
Subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://tinyurl.com/llforvets22
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The Lessons Learned for Vets Podcast is sponsored by Seek Now and their Drive Academy. Seek Now is the property inspection industry's leading business and they created Drive Academy DoD SkillBridge and CSP internships to teach transitioning military service members and veterans skills that prepare them for lucrative and rewarding careers in the property inspection and insurance industries. You can learn more and apply today at www.internwithdrive.com.
Welcome to the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast, your military transition debrief. I'm your host, Lori Norris, and I've helped thousands of military service members successfully transition out of the military since 2005. Thanks for tuning in to hear the after action reports and real stories of your fellow veterans, who are here to help guide, educate and inform you as you navigate your own military transition. By the way, if you find value from today's episode, please share it with others, Leave us a review and post about us on social media. Well, welcome to the Lessons Learned from Vets podcast. I'm excited to welcome someone back to the show.
Speaker 1:So Nick Perez retired from the United States Air Force in July of 2024, not too long ago. Much of his career was spent in training, program management and instructional design and within a month of his retirement he started at Dish Network as an instructional designer. He was on the show back during his transition. We did a military transition Q&A together back in season three, which neither of us can believe it was that long ago. But he is here now to share what he's learned since we recorded that episode. He went through the job search, he went through the new hire process and he is back. So welcome back, Nick.
Speaker 2:Hi everyone. How are we doing today? Lori, thank you for having me. I can't believe you put me on again. The first time that we did our interview, I didn't know anything, so I was like what is this podcast even going to be about? Like I didn't know anything at the time. But I feel like I have some interesting lessons I can bring to our audience and to your podcast today.
Speaker 1:Now you know a thing or two.
Speaker 2:right A little bit I don't know, I wouldn't say a lot but maybe a little bit so.
Speaker 1:Disclaimer I don't. If I say anything, it is not legal advice. All right, like me either. We should have that disclaimer for all of our episodes. Well, I mean, it sounds like it was seamless. You retired one month, you started your new job the next month. That sounds perfect, right, but I know you well enough to know that it wasn't quite as smooth as it sounds, was it so?
Speaker 2:tell me about your transition.
Speaker 1:Just how it all happened uh.
Speaker 2:So let's see back in like January of 2020, 2024, I started my skill bridge and I basically kind of like I made sure that all of my um, all of my people that I worked with, all the, the airmen, they they basically had like their succession plan and so I didn't have to be there, which was really cool. I did my skill bridge through Allegiant vets and I did a um it was like a project management track that they had Um, and then in May I finished that and I moved to Colorado, um, and I took all of my like uh, whatever they call the last leave. I've already forgotten all my military terminology. At this point I've just dumped all of it. But yeah, so my, my terminal leave was from May to July 30, which was my official retirement date, and while I was here, like in May, we set up the house and like I was doing, you know, I was putting in all my resumes and I was going like these job fairs and it was ridiculous.
Speaker 2:I I have so many things I can teach veterans, but my number one is, if it's in a hotel and it's a job fair thing, just just don't go, man. Like it's just not worth it. Like it. It depends on the job you're looking for. They're always looking for like police officers and like weird airport jobs, neither one of which turned me on, so um, but yeah. So then I got the phone call from Dish, I think in like mid August, and then I went in for like my first interview, I want to say the end of August, and then they hired me on and I started September 15th. And then they hired me on and I started September 15th. So that's kind of a very fast condensed version of how we got here to this podcast. So yeah.
Speaker 1:I remember, you know, sending out a lot of applications, a lot of resumes. Like, tell me about that process. Like, tell me about that process of like sending out resumes to the world and some of you hear back from some you don't like tell me about how that felt.
Speaker 2:So I tried really hard to use LinkedIn. I would like look up people who work there. So like I'd be like, oh, this is the hiring manager or this is the HR person, or this person works in that department, and I would try to message people. And the thing that I find really frustrating about LinkedIn is, I think once people get a job, they just disappear. They don't check their LinkedIn. You might be lucky if they check it once a month, and so I get messages from people months later oh hey, I just saw this. Are you still looking for a job? I'd be like yeah, but like I don't even know what. I don't even know what I applied for at this point.
Speaker 2:I put in almost a hundred resumes. I used your resume that you created me, that that we did, and I think what happened eventually was that resume got rewritten and rewritten, and rewritten, and rewritten to the point that it was like I don't know, bloated and just not good. And so at one point I had to take a step back and my ACP mentor, jay, shout outs to Jay. He was like dude, maybe you need to just go back and just start from scratch again. Like start from the original resume that Lori made you and like from there start, you know, doing the whole customizing your resume and matching it to the job. I used a website called Teal HQ and I really like it, but it's the whole resume process is just exhausting. I was making these amazing cover letters that like match, like the company's like logos and like I was making like these amazing like headers for them that like it looked like it came straight out of like their secretary's office, type of thing. So I put a ton of effort into it and I only got.
Speaker 2:What did I get? Maybe I want to say three interviews. Yeah, I had three interviews out of like a hundred resumes. I put in One of them I don't know how much longer you'd for like low income areas type of thing, and they wanted me to be a training manager. I had to create like a three page document saying how I would like fix their processes. And I got there and had to do a 10 minute presentation with slides and everything and they were like super rude to me. They were super rude Like their director was super mean, like she was like we'll keep going and I was like, well, you only told me 10 minutes, so she's like no just keep going and I was like well, I mean I can.
Speaker 1:I can improvise, I guess, but like it's not going to be like my best work.
Speaker 2:You know me, like I had, I had planned for a 10 minute like uh presentation and now we hit like 20 minutes and she's like just keep going. And I was like I don't, I don't understand what's happening here. And then I don't know, it was just, it was a mess. And then the HR guy was really cool and he was like hey, man, we're going to try to get you reimbursed for all this Cause. Like I know it costs you a ton to fly out here to get a hotel, your food, all that Right. And I was like, oh, that'd be really nice, you don't have to, but it would be extremely generous if you guys could do that. And they never reimbursed me. I didn't get the job. They told me, uh, within like hours. They're like, yeah, you're not hired. And I was like, okay, well, that's fair. I was like you guys were really weird and it just I saw the lesson.
Speaker 2:The lesson learned is a don't make a document for anybody unless they're paying you. B don't fly out to a job unless they say they're going to reimburse you. Yeah, uh, and uh see, if it feels weird, like if you're in the interview and it feels weird, just walk out, like I feel like I know, at the time it's like one of those awkward things where you're like maybe, maybe I should just stick this out and see. You know, like, and at the time I didn't know what to do, I was just like, well, this is awkward, like I guess I'm just going to keep doing this presentation out of thin air.
Speaker 1:I would say. I would say like do the interview right, stay there, complete it and chalk it up to a learning lesson, right, like cause. I think, they show you who they are in an interview too, and so, like what you know, you got to be interviewing them the same as they're interviewing you right, I agree you learned who they were in that interview, didn't?
Speaker 2:you, oh, absolutely, yeah, absolutely, um. But I just feel like another lesson I've learned is like your time is valuable, yeah, like my time's valuable, your time is valuable, lori, um, and when you're doing these interviews, like their time is valuable as well, but like to to basically like that interview was just absolute chaos. It was a nightmare, um, and I, I felt afterwards I was like wow, I feel really disrespected. It was a three hour thing, like three hours, right, three hours dude I was like dude.
Speaker 1:They do not respect my time like and I should have known like the second I walked out.
Speaker 2:I should have been like you know what, this isn't even for me, like I don't even care if they call me back.
Speaker 1:You know like and I think that's okay to like have that feeling knowing like you know what I don't. I know I don't want to work there. Yeah, and you know to your point about not doing a lot of prep work. I mean, I think that anybody that asks you to do homework before they're paying you, I think that's just that's a little much, and I don't think you should put in hours and hours of work on a document that they've asked you to do. So I think to some extent that tells you kind of. You know, again, this all depends on the level and the kind of role, but I'm not sure pre-work is the best plan.
Speaker 2:So I'll never. I will never do that again. I will never. No, no, I'll have a portfolio. You can look through my portfolio, but I'm not.
Speaker 1:I'm not doing pre-work, no way, no, I mean, I think I don't mind, you know, as a trainer, right I've had to. I've had to get up and teach classes, as you know, like do a demo of my ability, um, but I think you know the whole keep going thing.
Speaker 2:That's very interesting, you know it was so it was extremely weird and I was like I just got the worst vibes. I was like I don't understand what's happening here, like I don't get it, like am I doing good? Am I doing bad? Like do I need to correct?
Speaker 1:something. So just know, if you're listening and you have a strange interview experience, just remember to uh listen to your gut, trust your instincts right?
Speaker 1:yes, absolutely yeah, interesting story. So you, you recently started sharing a bunch of videos, right? So just about your experience. Like you know, you're kind of struggling a little bit with corporate culture, right, I think it's it's different, right, it's it is. And you know, not all corporate culture is weird, right, it's not all different, but I think that it's you have to get used to it, don't you? It's a learning process, it's a adaptation.
Speaker 2:I've got. I've got kids, a dog and a wife and I don't know what's going. I keep hearing like my dog is howling at the top of her lung. I'm so sorry.
Speaker 1:I'm so very sorry you may have to cut this part out so tell me about how, um, you know, you said you were kind of feeling like you don't belong to some extent, right? So like how did that go down and what did you do about it?
Speaker 2:So, oh man, OK, this is a very loaded question. I also want to make the disclaimer that none of my views represent Dish or Echo Star. I just I felt so alone for months. For months I felt really alone. I tried really and I'm really friendly and I try really hard to like make friends with people and I just it, just it felt so. I felt like I was on an island.
Speaker 2:And then also, you know, just extra context too we moved to Colorado in May. I had no connections, connections out here. I do have some family that lives like 30 minutes away, and so I've gotten to see them a couple of times. They're not even close family they're. They're like, you know, far away relatives type of thing. But, um, I felt very alone, don't have friends here, and so I think I made the mistake of trying to make friends with people at work.
Speaker 2:And this is another like weird corporate thing that people won't tell you about or military veterans probably don't talk about, and I hope this doesn't sound too controversial. But the way that I'm learning about corporate is that you're not friends, you're not buddies with your coworkers. You were there to work and go home and that's fine. It's just a weird. To me it's the flip side of the military, cause in the military that's your entire life. So when I went to work, those were like, regardless of whether we're really close or not, I felt compelled to be close to that person and I felt compelled every day to check in with everybody and like, just stop in for a few minutes and be like hey, how are you doing? Um, corporate is not like that.
Speaker 2:It's not like I'm not saying that they don't check on you, because we do like these weekly one-on-ones where, like your supervisor talks to you in like a private area and you get to kind of vent or explain where you're struggling and if you have any obstacles, but it's not. It's not friendly like the military would be, if that makes sense and I'm not trying to put down anybody an echo star dish or anything like that.
Speaker 2:So please don't take my words out of context on this. That's just to me that's a cultural and a lesson that I had to learn. It was very difficult.
Speaker 1:And I think you make a really good point in that you know when you're in the military, those are like it's almost like they're family, right?
Speaker 1:You get in their business that you know when you're in the military, those are like you, it's almost like their family, right you get in their business and you know what's happening at home and and that just doesn't happen in the corporate world and I don't know that, like, either one is right or wrong. It's just a different approach and so knowing that going in I think is important. And you know, I know you love where you live, you really are enjoying, like the location, but I think you've also had to try to find new ways of connecting with your community and finding friends there and so, like, think like that. That is something to really think about, especially if you're relocating to a place where you don't know anybody, you're just going cause you really like the area. Yeah, you've got to get creative about how to find people and I I believe that making friends as an adult is really hard, right extremely, extremely.
Speaker 1:Yes, everybody's got their own things going on, don't they?
Speaker 2:absolutely, and let me, let me finish my, uh, my statement to you because you did ask me. At the end you said how did you get better, right, um, and so, like the one thing that I can tell you, you got to join your veterans resource group.
Speaker 1:That's what you got to do.
Speaker 2:The second, the second that I joined the, the, the veterans, and I got my leg up here. I'm really casual, but uh, the um, uh, the veterans group has been the best thing I've ever done, like since I've joined corporate. It's one of the best things I've done. They have several resource groups, but the military one the second that I started interacting with them, the second that people started, like you know, stopping by my desk and be like hey, man, it's nice to meet you.
Speaker 2:What are you doing later on? Like, hey, do you want to go have lunch with us? Do you want to do this, do you want to do that? And I decided you know, I was like I'm going to do a little bit more, why not, I'll volunteer. So I knew that they had a newsletter and I know that I'm good at making cool graphic stuff. That's just my thing stuff. And I actually posted my newsletter the other day so you can go take a look at it and tell me if you think it sucks.
Speaker 2:But I started doing their newsletter and since I've started doing that like it's just another. It's a creative outlet for me. So I make computer-based training and a lot of times they're like, hey, man, just a little bit too creative, and I'm like but I had the newsletter, so now I can be like all right, well, I can't be creative with the CBT stuff, that's okay, but I can be creative as I want with the newsletter and that's been amazing for me. And I had these big plans like just to be like, just explode that veterans group and make it even more interactive and more fun, and that's just been an amazing outlet for me and that's part of my strategy on how I've kind of overcome that feeling of being alone and not understanding corporate culture is to connect with former veterans or veterans that have gone through it, and they're there with me.
Speaker 1:So I think you know, in one of your videos you had mentioned, like you know, ask good questions in your interview and and you, one of those is like, well, how many other veterans are in the organization? And you know, do you have a veteran resource group? And I think those are valid questions to ask, just to see. You know, will you have like people that you'll you'll connect with? And you know, I don't want it to, I don't want to make it sound like it's us and them, right, it's like the veterans and the civilians, and it doesn't have to be that way. And I think it all is like for you, it's like the veterans and the civilians, and it doesn't have to be that way.
Speaker 1:Um, and I think it all is like for you, it's a different generational thing too, like you're a little older than a lot of your co-workers, yeah, and so, um, you know, just asking about the team that you're joining and just, you know, kind of asking questions about, like, tell me about the team, tell me about like, who's part of the team I would really like to think about. You know, like, am I gonna fit in? That kind of those kinds of questions can really help you as you're screening an employer, right?
Speaker 1:absolutely yeah okay, um, I know you said that you don't believe the perfect job exists oh no, you're gonna give me trouble, dude, but you know. I think that's true, right? Yeah, I'm cynical.
Speaker 2:I am on the upper end of being a millennial. I'm on the older end of millennial Gen X, like I call myself an X-ennial because I'm somewhere in the middle there. I wasn't old enough for Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, but I still listen to them, right? But uh, I just think that, uh, and like I'm too, I'm too old for pokemon and dragon ball z that most millennials are into. So, like I'm, I'm just, I'm somewhere in a weird spot, right, um, and I say all that, um, it's just, uh, I'm completely going blank. We're gonna cut that out. What was the question? I'm just sitting there ranting about being an ex-ennial. Oh my God.
Speaker 1:Just the perfect job. Let's talk about that. Like you know, you said you don't believe the perfect job exists. And so it could just be like the perfect environment, the perfect what you do every day, Like I remember Keith was on and he gave like five factors and he said you know you're lucky if you get three out of five, right location right is the pay right is what you're doing. Right, right. So there's so many factors to think about right you have an interesting approach is like kind of starting with your nose yeah like what do you, what do you know you don't want to do Like.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, uh. So yeah, let's, let's. Let's go back into the um.
Speaker 2:I don't believe a perfect job exists. I think that you've got to have your list of no's, and when I first started out, my list of no's was something like well, I don't want to drive more than 45 minutes to work. I don't want to work somewhere where I have to be there full time. I like a flexible, hybrid type of thing would be nice. I don't want to work somewhere where I'm in a cubicle. I don't want to work in a cubicle farm, I don't.
Speaker 2:You know, like I had, I had those kinds of no's on my list. And as I have worked you know what, six months now, my list of no's has modified and changed a little bit. And so now I'm like well, I don't mind driving an hour if I have to. Like it sucks, but like that's just kind of like the reality of what it is with traffic, or if there's a weather event like snow or whatever, I'm going to end up driving over an hour, no matter what.
Speaker 2:And so my list of no's has changed a little bit, you know. And now I'm like okay, well, I don't necessarily mind working in this cubicle farm area if I have to right, if we have something else on the list that might be more, you know, like flexible right, like, oh, maybe, maybe Monday and Fridays are flexible hybrid type of days for your company. You know like um, so I think that that's kind of my idea and I also just think that the cynical Gen Xer in me, I just, I don't know, I don't think people wake up every morning like Whoa, 6 AM, baby, we're going, I can't, I'm going to work Like I'm sure there's people out there that do that, but I'm not one of them. I don't have it yet, maybe, maybe in the future.
Speaker 1:You know that's okay. Like we got bills to pay, we got a roof to keep over our head and mouths to feed, we got a roof to keep over our head and mouths to feed, and sometimes what we do for a living funds, what we like to do outside, right, yeah and I know that everybody sells this like you got to be passionate about what you do.
Speaker 1:I think you, you should enjoy it. I think it should not feel like someone's sticking bamboo strips under your fingernails every day. Um, I think it should not feel like someone sticking bamboo strips under your fingernails every day. I think it should compensate you fairly for your skill levels.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And I don't think you should be abused at work, but sometimes you're going to have bad days.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And so I would love it if your good days outweighed your bad days.
Speaker 2:Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Like even the dream job. You know, some days really stink, Right. Think about I don't know. Oh, we'll go. Oh, we just had the Super Bowl not too long ago, Right? So I mean, some might say that Patrick Mahomes has the dream job. He's the quarterback of the most winning football team out there. Right, he had a pretty bad day at work.
Speaker 2:Very bad day.
Speaker 1:The other day, in front of a lot of people and so I don't want to make any chiefs fans mad. But you know he kind of had a bad day.
Speaker 2:He did, but he still gets to go home to like $500 million or whatever.
Speaker 1:So like I don't know, he's doing okay, I mean like that's on a grand scale, right, and so everybody has those days. I just want you to find a place where you have more good days than bad days. But no, those bad days are going to happen and we don't want to let them derail us yeah, right, absolutely I pretty, I'm pretty sure that not every day was a great day in the military.
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely not.
Speaker 1:No yeah.
Speaker 2:And like I, yeah, I never, yeah, definitely had some bad days and yeah, and that's why I retired. Yep Exactly the amount of days that were good were not outnumbering the bad, so was like you know what I'm, I'm done but figure out your priorities like, think about like and know that your list of no's like you've already kind of modified your list.
Speaker 1:It could be fluid, it doesn't have to be completely firm and you might have to do some give and take right. Okay, I will drive this far if I get this and this right. And so I think, having that list of no's but know which ones are your non-negotiables, right? So, um, you know, somebody offered me a job a couple months ago and, uh, I'm like months ago and uh, I'm like regular income, not being self-employed.
Speaker 1:That could be kind of cool, right, benefits and such, but I can't travel, I cannot leave. You know, I have too many responsibilities here in my house for people that I care for and I can't do it, and so that obviously is not going to happen for me, and so, um, I think it's just you've got to know, like what you can and can't do it, and so that obviously is not going to happen for me, and so I think it's just you've got to know, like what you can and can't do, right, so, and only you know that, and it's okay if one of those non-negotiables is I don't want to drive or I want to, I don't want to work in an office.
Speaker 1:I don't want to be in charge of people, whatever it might be. That's your list. Only you can know it and sit down with your family and figure that list out if you need to. So absolutely right. So I like it. I like that's a good, good thing to do and you know, I think, um, it's okay sometimes to take a job that doesn't meet your list if you need to pay the bills and work towards your list.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly you know, they know that okay, I'm doing this for now and then I'll start looking for what's next, and then I'll make sure that the next time I get my list, get more of the things on my list and that's just the way your career is going to work. You're always going to be stepping from one thing to another, like you're not going to be in the next job. You're not going to work for your next employer for 24 years. Yeah, it's not going to happen. It's very, very rare in today's market. So just know that it's okay, it's temporary. If it's not great, it's temporary and you can go somewhere else. So that's the beautiful thing, right? So all right.
Speaker 1:so I want to talk about the jack of all trades oh oh, I know you said this the other day like don't, don't do that. I have my approach, which we've I've talked about.
Speaker 2:I want to hear your thoughts on the jack of all trades thing I think I'm pretty sure I put out a video about that, um on my linkedin, uh. But yeah, never, never, ever. You are not a jack of all trades anymore. I understand, in the military environment, like, uh, you know, I was a maintenance training superintendent. I was blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I had like 15 extra extra duties, right, and I had to be good at all these freaking things all at once, right, but like, I wasn't really good at all of them, I was only good at a couple things, right, um, and really, for the corporate environment, they're hiring you to do one thing and that's the. That's the weirdest thing that I have, uh, come across, or one of the more odd things I've come across with corporate is they want you to be good at one thing yeah, which is like is like cool.
Speaker 2:I was like, oh, I get paid just to do this one thing. This is, this is pretty cool, right, um, so, yeah, definitely. And I think to overcome, you know, instead of saying I'm a Jack of all trades, master of none, you can highlight your experience, like highlight all the different things that make you so well-rounded to do the one thing you know. I mean like um, and I think in an interview environment, that's um, that's gonna be super beneficial, because if you say jack of all trades, master of none, they're just gonna look at you like you're crazy and be like I okay, so you're not good at this job that we're wanting to interview. Interview you for yeah, uh, and I think that, being the military, that's like a cliche phrase that we use so often and it just doesn't translate at all when you come out to corporate.
Speaker 1:Once you get into the role, being adaptable and being able to do lots of different things is valuable, but in the application and interview process, coming across as that you know jack of all trades, that comes across as a lack of focus. That comes across as a lack of specialization and, like you said, you're, typically your responsibilities, especially in large corporations, are very siloed. You know, if you're going to go into like a small business or a startup, yeah, you're going to have to do lots of different things, but in a corporation they want you to do this one specialty and they don't want to know that you can do all of those other things.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, completely different, completely different.
Speaker 1:It is and that. So I think that what you see as a value in the military is not necessarily translating as a value in the private sector, and so you've got to think about your specialization and what, and that might change based on the job you're applying for. But you've got to pick one and and really highlight that and um yeah, and then then get in there and show them that you're adaptable. That's. That's when you get to talk about that, but you know you can talk about it in the interview. But writing a resume or LinkedIn, that's got all the things it's not going to get you anywhere, so yeah absolutely Okay.
Speaker 1:So a couple weeks ago we had Leslie Coffey from ACP on the show and she was talking about the ACP program. You already mentioned Jay, your ACP mentor, so I know you have that personal experience with mentorship. Can you just tell us a little bit about it, cause I love to hear, like the stories of how your mentors have helped you? You already told us a little bit about it, but so Jay Villazon was my mentor.
Speaker 2:I applied and I want to say, like it was like last December, because I just finished my, my mentorship, essentially, um, excuse me, they, it was super easy too. Like I put an application and they called me like the same day and they were like, hey, um, would you prefer x, y and z? Because, like, they basically go through like your preferences right on, like how often you want to meet somebody? Um, does it have to be in person, does it have to? You know, phone calls, zoom, whatever, right, um and Jay and I had one zoom where we started and, uh, he was a retired marine, he retired during COVID and I was like, man, how am I going to connect with like a retired marine? Like, and so here's a weird truth, for, for people, um, I feel, like in the Air Force, like when I talk to other veterans, it's really hard for me to understand Army or Marines, like because their life was so much different than mine. Right, it can be very hard for me to identify. So I was like, how am I going to identify with like a retired Marine? But, like, let me tell you, my ACP mentorship because of Jay, um, my, which I've, I've still struggled, no matter what, with this transition. But he made things so much better for me because he not only took phone calls, like on the weekends, I mean he, we would text almost every day. Yeah, hey, nick, how are you doing, man, are you hanging in there? I see you on Facebook. You're complaining again. What's going on? You know what I mean? Or, hey, nick, I see on LinkedIn and it looks like you're struggling, like what's going on? You know what I mean?
Speaker 2:And um, not only did he help me figure out, like the application process, the interview process, he taught me about corporate, like lifestyle and culture, um, but even after I got out, even after I retired fully, he was like, hey, man, you need to check on X, y and Z TRICARE. You got to check on these things for your kids. You got to check on your dental, you got to check on you know this and that. Oh, and, by the way, he was like make sure you check your taxes, because you're used to the military, just whatever withholding, like the withholding stuff on your, on your statement. He was like make sure that when you are getting paid by your company, that you are doing your withholdings right, because otherwise you're going to owe a ton of money at the end of the year and I was like, oh God, but to have that kind of info, to have that wealth of knowledge and he's a veteran and not all of them are veterans, right, but for me that was exactly what I needed and I didn't know that I needed that and I, I needed all of that and above. So he did amazing.
Speaker 2:And then also there was points where I was struggling to find a learning and development job and he started connecting me with other ACP mentors who were in that line of business or like an HR. Um, so huge wealth of experience, uh, I can't say enough. I really can, can't, and like I'd love to give back, I really would, but man, I got these kids, man, and I'm still working on me. So until I am, until I am like fully good, I can't. I just don't feel like it's right for me to volunteer to do it, and that's why I'm doing my videos on linkedin.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I think that they're. You know, a mentor really only has to be like 10 better than you to be valuable, right, and I think that you know it's like they're just a few steps ahead of you and they can be like just a few steps ahead of you and they can be like hey there's a rock that I just tripped on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, be careful of that and so I don't think you have to be you know, all knowing and have everything together to be able to reach back and help people. And that could be with your videos, right, which you've been doing. It could be just, you know, being in the veterans resource group, and so I don't want you to feel like you can't mentor someone because you don't, you're not perfect, right. So, and that's that's really what, like I feel like this show is about is like, you know, nobody that we have on the show has a completely figured out, but they're like hey, watch out for this, watch out for that thing you know. So, um, but I think that's that's, that's that's that's show has a completely figured out, but they're like hey, watch out for this, watch out for that thing you know. So. So, yeah, I appreciate you coming and sharing that with us. So I like to hear stories.
Speaker 1:Leslie shared a lot of great stories about mentors and things that they'd done, but I think it's always good to hear it straight from the person who received the value of that. So I definitely recommend that you check out the ACP thing and it's very you personally, within that day to um, help you match with, match you with somebody, um, so it's one thing to hear them say they do that, but like, do you have you verify? It is great. Not that I doubted, leslie, don't, don't get that wrong. So you've been retired for about six months now. Yes, ma'am, right, so yeah, so, um, so, um, so, um, so, um, so, um. It is great. Not that I doubted, leslie, don't, don't get that wrong.
Speaker 2:So so, uh, you've been retired for about six months now yes, ma'am right so yeah, july 31st, so I don't do public math, but it's been a little bit yeah, yeah, a little bit.
Speaker 1:Six months, I think, hey I think we're coming up on seven, yeah, so what are? Okay? Just like, give us some rapid fire lessons, some big lessons you've learned?
Speaker 2:oh, no, rapid fire lessons, uh, god, um, I think I don't, I don't, I'm not good at the rapid fire lessons part here. I don't know. Laurie, keep going keep going.
Speaker 1:No, I'm trying to stress you out like you're, you're, oh, no, no.
Speaker 2:No, I'm not trying to um so here here's, here's a couple things that I I I on right. I think I did it right, Even when I didn't have a job. Like between May and September, I was putting in a lot of resumes, but something else that I did, that I felt like I did really well, and even my mentor Jay told me he's like hey, man, you're never going to have another time in your life where you're just unemployed and you're just like you have this time now, like spend it with your family. And so, like between May and September, I was like going on hikes with my family. We were, you know, I had my family come down and visit and I got to spend the entire week with my family. You know like um, so I think something that you should do, even though it is an extremely stressful and weird transient time of your life after you retire or you separate, take that little amount, that little gap of time, and give back to your family, Cause you haven't been with them a lot, probably if you were military. So take that time and try to balance. Try to balance some things.
Speaker 2:I think that that's one thing that I look back on fondly and I'm really glad that my mentor Jay told me. He was like, dude, just go be with your family. Dude, Like he's like, wake up, like look up, look up jobs, maybe put in like two resumes and then go take time for yourself. He's like, cause you can put in like 30 resumes a day and you're just gonna be exhausted, You're going to be burned out. He's like so, balance it. And I was like, okay, bet. Um, so that's one thing that I really look back on. That I think is a good lesson for other veterans who are retiring or separating is take some time to yourself. Don't. Don't kill yourself trying to put in 17 resumes a day. It's not, it doesn't. It's not, it's not to be fruitful.
Speaker 2:Um, something else that I feel like is very is a bit valuable, um is uh, you know you, you're gonna have to learn the lessons the hard way. Possibly. Like for me, I I got LinkedIn things about job fairs. I went to, I went to like three job fairs and like even the first job fair, I was like this just seems like a waste of my time, Like I don't know what I'm doing, Like I brought these printouts, I got this nice suit on, but like I don't know, I don't think that this is something that's really helping, Right, and I just kept making that mistake, kept going to these job fair things at these hotels not for me, but I had to learn that lesson the hard way.
Speaker 2:Um, I think that, uh, sometimes you have to go through all those different things to be more grateful on the other side. And for me, like, looking back on it, I'm like, okay, I know in the future what's going to work for me, what's not. When I'm looking for a job, like I will never go to another job fair at a hotel. Uh, it just didn't work for me. Maybe it works for other people.
Speaker 1:Didn't work for me.
Speaker 2:Um, and then, like I know for me, I need to balance things out and not destroy myself putting in resumes all day long or looking at job postings all day long and feeling like I don't qualify for any of them. So yeah, those are some of my rapid fire things that I would tell the audience. Sometimes you got to go through it and you're going to learn. You might learn the hard way or you might watch a lot of Lori shows or listen to to a lot of them and be like you know what, I know what not to do. I'm just one of those people.
Speaker 1:I gotta go through it myself and learn the hard way and I think you know, like some people are like, oh, I'm gonna do it different and that's okay, like it might work for you, right, and so that you know no one transition is gonna be alike with another.
Speaker 2:You know not at all, it is going to be. Yeah it another.
Speaker 1:You know not at all, it is going to be yeah, it's as unique as you are, and so I've never met another Nick Perez, so everybody's going to be different. But I think the thing is like what I want you to hear from what Nick has said today is that he is somewhat struggling, but finding his way through it, and that's the thing. Just got to get up the next day and keep trying.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no matter what happens.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we all need you still here, so do not quit. That's the bottom line. Well, thank you so much for. So do not quit. That's it Bottom line. Well, thank you so much for sharing that with me, nick. I appreciate you coming back sharing the lessons.
Speaker 2:Spending a little bit of your Saturday yeah.
Speaker 1:All right, you'll. You'll figure it out, I know you will.
Speaker 2:Yes, ma'am Thank you Thanks.
Speaker 1:Thanks for listening to today's episode. My goal is to give you actionable strategies to help you learn to market your military skills and smooth your transition to the next phase of your career. If you learned something valuable today, share it. Subscribe to our podcast and our YouTube channel, leave us a review and write a post on social media about the lessons that helped you today from this episode.