Efficiency and Improvement

“Jen didn’t just help me find a job — she helped me design a vision,” Lato says. She and Ralston started by evaluating the best career fit for the transitioning Intelligence Officer by scouring job postings and identifying appealing roles. Lato is an expert in process improvement and change management, and Ralston helped her pull out the threads of her military experience and interpret those skills to a private-sector résumé. 

“Veterans are often too humble to brag,” Ralston says, noting that Lato hadn’t fully grasped her strengths. With her corporate perspective, Ralston acted as Lato’s cheerleader. The pair identified problem-solving as a skill highly valued by employers, and they crafted a strong marketing pitch around Lato’s expertise in that milieu. 

Lato credits Ralston with empowering her to recognize her worth, saying, “She insisted that I stop undervaluing myself and pushed me to negotiate for higher salaries and walk away from roles that weren’t aligned with my value.” Today, Lato is a Lead Program Security Officer with Booz Allen Hamilton, a role she never could have imagined prior to her ACP mentorship.

Both Ralston and Lato say they see many Veterans applying only for positions that closely fit their military role or taking the first job offer they get. A Mentor can help you widen your scope of possibilities. For example, Lato’s Army career had made her a formidable intelligence expert, but she was eager to shift to the private sector, and Ralston’s extensive background in consulting and project management allowed her to steer Lato towards opportunities she may not have identified on her own. 

“Your first job out of uniform is not your forever job – it’s your bridge,” Lato advises other Veterans. Ralston concurs, saying: “You don’t have to stay [at your first job] for 20 years.” A civilian role is a fantastic opportunity to further hone your skills, identify long-term goals, and continue to build your network.

The simple act of signing up for a mentorship can open doors you can’t even picture right now. While Lato and Ralston worked closely one-on-one, Ralston also called in assists from all corners of her expansive network. She looped in one of HKPO’s experienced résumé writers to help refine Lato’s CV, and the pair created a Veteran Spotlight to post to Lato’s social media as well as the HKPO Academy LinkedIn page. Those small acts gave a major boost to Lato’s visibility to employers.

“I didn’t fully realize the power of formal mentorship until this experience,” Lato says. “There’s something really special about having a dedicated, year-long partnership with someone who’s intentionally chosen to invest in you.”

Veterans and Military Spouses can supercharge their careers by signing up for ACP’s no-cost, year-long mentorship program. Check your eligibility and sign up today at www.acp-usa.org. If you’re an experienced professional, become a Mentor today and spend just an hour a month to make a difference in the life of a Protégé!