“I decided to join the corporate sector because I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to get a degree…to use my mind to make money that is comparable to what I made as a Marine,” Hamilton said.

During his 20 years in the Marines, starting in 1997, Hamilton earned his bachelor’s degrees in HR and business management online. To make the transition to corporate America, Hamilton joined the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program, a 12-week internship.

Through the program, Hamilton worked for four days every week with local companies and spent the fifth day getting personal feedback and mentoring. Hamilton took a position as a field consultant for 7-Eleven and was responsible for visiting eight stores to make sure the stores were doing well.

Hamilton said his Marine leadership skills are in demand by the private sector. “It doesn’t matter if you were an infantryman or an administrative specialist; the corporate sector will hire you based on the leadership skills and traits you have acquired from our small unit leadership experience,” he said.

He ultimately wants to be a human resources manager. “I currently have a position as a human resource specialist, but I have a five-year goal within the company—advance to become an HR manager,” Hamilton said.

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