Mentoring to stay connected
Jacob D. served 4 years in the Army before starting his career in IT. Now a Software Engineer II at Microsoft, Jacob works on full stack web development for Microsoft finance.
Students usually come to the Microsoft Software and Systems Academy (MSSA) with a lot of anxiety about the amount of knowledge they need to gain to become marketable in IT, and the extensive preparation they’ll need to be successful in technical interviews. I remember these overwhelming feelings all too well.
Why I became an MSSA mentor
MSSA was a life-changing experience for me, opening doors I never thought I’d see. When I graduated from MSSA and landed a job at Microsoft, I felt so lucky to have gotten this opportunity.
I decided to become an MSSA mentor because I wanted to pay forward the incredible mentorship I received when I was an MSSA participant myself. I wanted to share that fortune with others who were in the same position I was in as a participant finding my way in a new career.
Thinking back to the mentors that supported me when I was a student, I wanted to inspire new students the way they inspired me, and gave me hope that I could make it in IT. The idea of helping fellow veterans transition into software development and seeing them succeed is really fulfilling. It’s one of the best parts of working for Microsoft.
My approach to mentorship
As an MSSA mentor, I focus on both technical and professional skills. Technical skills are important because they form the foundation of good software development practices, making MSSA participants more competitive in the job market. But for military veterans, I’ve found that building confidence in their professional skills is what makes the difference in landing a role.
People leaving military service often struggle to overcome the fear that their military experience won’t be transferable to civilian career paths. This uncertainty can be a significant barrier to their confidence and progress. I try to help them recognize the value of their skills—like teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership—and guide them to communicate these strengths in a civilian context.
I stress the importance of communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. These skills are vital in any workplace—but especially in tech, where collaboration and innovation are key. MSSA students come from a military background where these skills are already ingrained, but translating them into a civilian context can be challenging. As a mentor, I help bridge that gap, ensuring they can effectively communicate their ideas and work well within a team.
Still, many students feel that their background might not be enough and discount themselves before giving themselves a shot. By providing practical examples from my own experience as someone who’s been on their journey, I help my mentees to see the correlation between their military background and the competencies required in tech. They have the skills, even though they struggle to recognize them. The confidence boost can be all it takes to help them succeed in their career transition.
To help them overcome these challenges, I work with mentees to hone essential skills so they can navigate interviews confidently, even when they come across questions they haven’t memorized. We work on how to prepare for an interview and conduct mock interviews. Focusing on these areas empowers mentees to approach their interviews with confidence in their preparedness and resilience, which markedly boosts their confidence and performance.
On the technical side, I emphasize core app concepts like dependency injection, which is crucial for writing clean, maintainable code. I remember a particular success story where a student landed a job at Microsoft because they could confidently discuss dependency injection during their interview. We had gone over it in depth during a one-on-one weekend call, and hearing back from them, that our practice made a difference, was incredibly rewarding.
Being an MSSA mentor has impacted me both personally and professionally
Mentoring has honed my leadership and communication skills. It’s taught me to be patient, empathetic, and supportive. These qualities have helped me become a better team player and leader in my work at Microsoft.
Personally, it’s incredibly fulfilling to see the positive impact I can have on someone’s life. I don’t tend to keep up with the military community, and could even say that I feel my time in the Army fading away—but my time as an MSSA mentor gives me a sense of purpose and connection to the broader military community.
My journey as an MSSA mentor has been one of gratitude, growth, and fulfillment. It’s a privilege to give back to a program that changed my life and to help others achieve their dreams. The technical and professional skills I focus on are crucial for their success, and the interactions I’ve had have enriched my own work experience. The impact of mentoring is profound, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of my mentees’ journey to a new career and life in the civilian world.
Closing thoughts
My experience mentoring veterans has given me a deeper appreciation for the unique strengths service members bring to the table. Their discipline, resilience, and ability to work under pressure are qualities that make them exceptional candidates for software development roles, or frankly any role in IT where collaboration and problem-solving under pressure are important to the job.
I’m glad to see Microsoft and other companies recognizing the value of military experience on a resume. It’s not just about hiring veterans—it’s also about giving their teams a chance to connect and work with this amazing group of people.