Latest / The Career Mentor Podcast with Fexingo: Finding Mentors, Sponsors, and Career Advisors / How to Find a Mentor When You Are a Veteran in Tech
Transcript
- Lucas: So Luna, here's a stat that stopped me this week: veterans make up about six percent of the U.S. population, but they're only about three percent of the tech workforce. And the gap isn't about capability — it's about translation. Luna: Translation? You mean like translating military jargon into tech speak? Lucas: Exactly. A veteran who led a logistics convoy in Afghanistan has project management experience out the wazoo. But when they write 'managed multi-echelon supply chain operations' on a resume, a hiring manager at a SaaS startup just sees hieroglyphics. That's where a mentor comes in. Luna: So the mentor's job is to be a translator. That's a really specific angle we haven't covered on the show. Lucas: Right. And it's why today's episode is about finding a mentor when you're a veteran moving into tech. Not just any mentor — someone who can decode your military experience into civilian value. We've done episodes on finding mentors for career pivots and for industry changes, but this is its own beast. Luna: Because the military culture is so different. I've heard veterans say they feel like they're on a different planet in a corporate office. Lucas: Totally. And the mentor who gets that is worth their weight in gold. So let's start with the first kind of mentor you want: the translator. This is someone who's been in both worlds — a veteran who's already made the leap into tech, or a civilian who's worked extensively with military teams. They can look at your background and say, 'That's not just logistics, that's supply chain management. That's a hot skill.' Luna: And they also know the unwritten rules. Like, in the military, you call people by their rank. In tech, it's first names and flat hierarchy. Lucas: Exactly. The translator mentor helps you navigate those cultural cues. But how do you find one? My advice: start with veteran-specific professional organizations. There's the Service Academy Business Network, Vets in Tech, American Corporate Partners — they all run mentorship programs specifically pairing veterans with tech professionals. Luna: That sounds like a solid starting point. But what if you're not in a formal program? What's the cold outreach strategy? Lucas: Good question. And here's where the reverse mentorship idea comes in. I heard a great story about a veteran named Marcus who reached out to a tech founder on LinkedIn. He didn't ask for mentorship. He offered to help the founder with something the founder didn't have: leadership under pressure. Luna: Oh, that's smart. Flipping the script. Lucas: Yeah. Marcus said, 'I'm a former Marine and I'm moving into tech. I'd love to share what I know about leading teams in high-stakes environments, and I'd love to learn from you about how tech companies work.' That's a reverse mentorship pitch. It made the founder curious, and they ended up in a regular coffee chat. Luna: So the veteran is the mentor on leadership, and the tech person is the mentor on industry. That's a great trade. Lucas: Exactly. And it solves the problem of feeling like you have nothing to offer. Veterans have enormous value — it's just a matter of framing. Another example: a veteran I know named Sarah, who was a Navy cryptologic technician, offered to teach a small startup about cybersecurity basics. She got mentorship in return. Luna: That's a great angle. Let's talk about the actual process of finding these mentors. What's the first step a veteran should take this week? Lucas: First step: write down three military experiences that you think are your most transferable. Then, with a friend or a career counselor, try to describe them without using any military acronyms. That's your raw material. Then you look for someone who can help you refine it — and that's your mentor. Luna: So the mentor isn't just a translator, they're also a resume coach. Lucas: Sure, but the relationship is bigger than that. They're your guide to the whole ecosystem — they can introduce you to people, tell you which skills to learn, warn you about companies that don't really support veterans. It's a relationship, not a transaction. Luna: And how do you approach that first conversation without feeling like you're asking for a handout? Lucas: The key is to be specific and respectful of their time. Don't say, 'Can you mentor me?' Say, 'I'm transitioning from the Army to product management. I'd love twenty minutes to ask you about how you made that transition, and specifically, how you learned to speak the language of engineers.' Specific is respectful. Luna: That's good. And if you're listening and you've served, what's the one thing you should remember about this? Lucas: That you're not starting from zero. You have leadership, discipline, and a proven ability to perform under pressure. The mentor's job is to help you translate that into tech's currency. And that's why finding the right mentor is so worth it. Luna: It's like that old saying: 'It's not what you know, it's who you know.' But here it's more like, 'It's not what you did, it's how you frame it.' Lucas: Exactly. And honestly, if today's episode helped you think about your own transition, that's worth a coffee to us. If you want to support the show, the link is buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small way to keep these conversations ad-free. Luna: Yeah, and it really does help. Every little bit goes to keeping the podcast running. Lucas: Okay, back to the strategies. Another important mentor archetype is the 'industry insider' — someone who's been in tech for a while and can tell you which skills are actually in demand, not just what's on job boards. Luna: Like, knowing that cloud certifications matter more than a computer science degree for certain roles. Lucas: Precisely. A mentor who's a hiring manager might say, 'Look, if you want to get into DevOps, focus on Kubernetes and AWS. Your military background in systems operations is actually a great foundation.' That's insider knowledge you can't get from a job posting. Luna: How do you find that person though? If you're a veteran, you might not have a big network in tech. Lucas: Start with alumni networks. If you went to a military academy, that's a huge network. But even if you didn't, many universities have veterans associations. And on LinkedIn, you can search for veterans who work at companies you admire. Send a connection request with a note saying you're a fellow veteran and would love to learn from their path. Luna: And what about attending tech conferences or meetups? I know introverts struggle with that, but for veterans it's often about getting over the unfamiliarity. Lucas: Yeah, but a veteran-specific event like the Vets in Tech conference can be a more comfortable starting point. You're in a room with people who understand your background, and you can practice your pitch in a low-pressure environment. Luna: So the mentor search for veterans is less about 'finding a mentor' and more about finding multiple people who fill different roles. Lucas: That's spot on. You might have a translator mentor, an industry insider, and a reverse mentor — and they all serve different purposes. The key is to be intentional about what you need at each stage of your transition. Luna: What about the common mistake veterans make when they finally get a mentor? Lucas: I think the biggest one is expecting the mentor to do the work for them. A mentor can open doors and offer advice, but you have to take the steps. I've seen veterans who are so used to following orders that they wait for the mentor to give them a checklist. That's not how it works. Luna: So it's about being proactive. And asking specific questions, not vague ones like 'What should I do?' Lucas: Exactly. Ask 'What skills should I learn for a cloud engineering role?' or 'How did you approach the first ninety days at your company?' Specific questions lead to specific advice. Luna: And then you act on it. That's how you build trust and show the mentor that their time is well spent. Lucas: Yes. And then that mentor becomes a sponsor. They'll start recommending you for roles and introducing you to their network. That's the relationship evolving — from mentor to advocate. Luna: Sponsorship is the real prize. Having someone who says 'I vouch for this person' is huge. Lucas: Absolutely. And for veterans, that can be the difference between spending months sending out resumes and landing a job in weeks. So if you're a veteran listening, don't underestimate the power of a good mentor. Start with your existing networks, be bold, and remember you have a lot to offer. Luna: And if you're not a veteran but you know one, think about becoming a reverse mentor. You'll learn a lot. Lucas: That's a great closing thought. As always, thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time.