A PM’s Journey: Finding Fulfillment in Mentoring Veterans

Michael is a technical project/program management manager.

  Career Development  

In 2023, my life in corporate America began to fade—and fade quickly. On paper, all the benefits of my position seemed to outweigh any negatives, but there was one thing that was painfully missing. That one item outweighed all the pros and benefits, and I could feel it sink in every Sunday evening as I painfully prepared for my Monday workload.

What I was missing was fulfillment. It was time for me to find out how I could fill that void.

It took me six months to discover that the fulfillment I needed would be found in giving back to others. After another six months, I gained a deeper clarity of the fulfillment (I am a slow learner).

It came to me through another project manager. As with most things in life, once you become aware of your purpose, it is only a matter of listening for “the knocks” on your door—and being awake enough to recognize these knocks and open the door.

This fellow project manager and I were at dinner, and he had mentioned a program he began volunteering in. He had taken on a role in an organization that mentored United States veterans that were transitioning from their military careers, either due to the end of their individual contracts or retirement and into roles in civilian life as project managers. The light bulb lit up inside me (finally).

The next day I contacted the program manager for the non-profit American …

Please log in or sign up below to read the rest of the article.