Andrew Lewis ⋅ Alexandria, VA U.S. Army, Staff Sergeant ⋅ 8 years served

Craig - thanks for the insight. I'm on LinkedIn and am going to start branching out and connecting with folks from both Booz and Deloitte. I took a Healthcare Policy class during my first Master's (Legislative Affairs), and actually am interested in focusing on healthcare if I go the federal route. Thank you for the thoughtful advice.

Beth - thanks for your feedback - certainly helpful. I would like to connect with you, and will send you a private message this evening. Thanks again.

Elizabeth Cox ⋅ Falls Church, VA ⋅ 20 years experience

Andrew,

I have 20+ years in consulting in the Washington, DC area.

One of the most important things you can do is to understand the type of consulting firm you're joining. Whether the firm is public or partnership, small or large, management or IT (or other), etc. can have a very big impact on your experience and your success because each of these types manages its people, clients, and client relationships differently.

When you consider consulting, please keep in mind that the single most important trait of a successful consultant is the ability to sell. Whether it is bringing in a new client or follow-on work with an existing client, selling will be the most important metric that a company will use to evaluate your growth and opportunities.

I'm happy to talk in more detail if you like.

Beth

Craig Bush ⋅ Boston, MA IBM ⋅ 11 years experience

Andrew,

I would build a presence on LinkedIn can begin to network with headhunters. I actually recently had a conversation with staffing agent who was hired by Booze Allen Hamilton for a role in their management consulting group specializing in healthcare. They are currently hiring. I think that they've recovered from the Snowden scandal and are trying to show the market and the Street that they have a plan to grow in light of what they learned from the blow up.

Hope that helps.

Tom Cal, CFA ⋅ San Francisco, CA Army Veteran, Investment Manager ⋅ 25 years experience

* Request a mentor from acp-usa.org. Be specific, and request a mentor who is currently working as a consultant with the federal government. e.g. Deloitte, etc.

* Also utilize the ACP-AdvisorNet Advisor Plus directory (https://acp-advisornet.org/directory):

* Here are several other resources where you can search for such a mentor:

9 Mentoring Programs for Veterans and Spouses - Do You Know of Others? Manager's Choice

Here are programs that offer Veterans and spouses of Veterans "one-on-one" as well as "group" mentoring. These programs all offer the opportunity for mentoring in-person and also utilizing phone, email and online communication.

Please let us know if you know of other MENTORING programs and organizations for Veterans and spouses of Veterans.

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Programs for Veterans and Spouses of Veterans that offer mentor-directed matching and networking:

* Veteran Mentor Network (group on LinkedIn)
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Veteran-Mentor-Network-4466143/about
Over 33,000 members located throughout the world in a wide variety of functional roles, industries and organizations. VMN offers online discussions and also the ability to network and seek out advisors and mentors utilizing the free LinkedIn Advanced people search tool.

https://www.linkedin.com/vsearch/p?openAdvancedForm=true&locationType=I&countryCode=us&f_FG=4466143&rsid=337841291399568019979&orig=ADVS#!

* MC4 Military-Civilian Career Coaching Connection (MC4)(group on LinkedIn)
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/MilitaryCivilian-Career-Coaching-Connection-MC4-3722272/about#!
Over 3,700 members located throughout the world in a wide variety of functional roles, industries and organizations. Offers online discussions and also the ability to network and seek out advisors and mentors utilizing the free LinkedIn Advanced people search tool.
https

https://www.linkedin.com/vsearch/p?openAdvancedForm=true&locationType=I&countryCode=us&f_FG=3722272&rsid=337841291399568063911&orig=ADVS#!

* ACP-AdvisorNet online Q&A focused mentoring program
https://acp-advisornet.org/
Online Q&A and private email/messaging. There are more than 1,600 advisors listed in the ACP AdvisorNet Advisor+ directory.

* eMentorProgram.org (U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's HIRING OUR HEROES Initiative.)
http://ementorprogram.org/about
Self-directed matching. Approximately 425 mentors available.
" The Veteran eMentor Program leverages the internet to create a dynamic information sharing, learning and support community that extends far beyond the veteran's current network. Veteran protégés can receive personalized job search/career guidance, advice, support and inspiration from more experienced veterans, career mentors and veteran-friendly employers."

* MedTech and BioTech Veterans Program (MVP)
mvpvets.org
"The mission of MVP is to, via a 4-step process, identify thousands of military veterans, readying them for meaningful employment within a Life Science organization."
http://investors.abiomed.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=823410

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Programs for Veterans and Spouses of Veterans that offer assigned matching with mentor input:

* American Corporate Partners (ACP) assigned mentoring program
acp-usa.org
ACP staff match Veterans with mentors from 56 large corporations and organizations. Corporations and organization pay ACP a fee to participate.

* GallantFew
gallantfew.org
"GallantFew's mission is to reduce US Army Ranger veteran unemployment, homelessness and eliminate Ranger veteran suicide by a unique program of one-on-one mentoring by a Ranger veteran, now successful in civilian business, with a Ranger veteran just departed active duty."

* Helmets to Hardhats
http://www.helmetstohardhats.org/#!
"Helmets to Hardhats is a national, nonprofit program that connects National Guard, Reserve, retired and transitioning active-duty military service members with skilled training and quality career opportunities in the construction industry."

Programs Limited to Women Veterans and Spouses of Veterans
* Joining Forces for Women Veterans and Military Spouses Mentoring Plus®
http://www.joiningforcesmentoringplus.org/#!