Veteran Transition Mentor for College or Career

Veterans have strong free options, including free one-on-one career mentoring from volunteer professionals and transition help through the military and veteran agencies, and those are the place to start. Blackburn is a paid option for veterans who want more: one dedicated mentor meeting weekly or several times a week, with text and phone contact between sessions, across college, work, routine, money and fitness.

Start with the free programs

We would rather be honest than sell you something you do not need. Before paying for mentoring, look at:

The transition program service members complete before separating, with workshops on resumes, education benefits and job search.
Free nonprofit programs that pair veterans with volunteer mentors from the corporate world, usually focused on career and job search.
Veteran resource offices and student veteran groups on most college campuses.
Veteran employment representatives at public workforce job centers.
Veteran service organizations and peer groups in your community.

If one of these gives you what you need, use it. The two can also work side by side: a volunteer mentor for insight into a specific industry, and a Blackburn mentor for weekly routine and follow-through.

When paid one-on-one mentoring is still a fit

You want more contact than an occasional volunteer call: weekly or several times a week, with text between sessions.
Your goals go beyond the job search to structure, school, money, fitness and relationships.
You want the same person every week who knows the whole plan.
You are a younger veteran heading into college and want help with the shift from military structure.
A parent or partner wants to support you, and you want them to get progress updates with your permission.
You are in Los Angeles and want to meet in person.

Who this is for, and who it is not for

This is for veterans of any branch in their first year or two out, student veterans and veterans changing careers later on. It is not for benefits claims, legal questions or clinical care. Mentors are not therapists. If transition stress, sleep, mood or drinking is a concern, a licensed professional is the right step. In a crisis, call or text 988. Veterans who call can press 1 for veteran-specific support.

What a mentor works on in the first year out

Daily structure without formation, a duty roster or PT at a fixed time.
Career direction: exploring options, informational interviews and job search follow-through.
School routine if you are starting or returning to college.
Money habits as pay, housing and benefits change. Mentors do not give financial advice.
Fitness on your own schedule; see health and fitness.
Civilian friendships and a social life outside the unit.

You and your mentor set goals and break them into weekly steps, in 30 or 60 minute sessions by video anywhere in the US or in person in Los Angeles, on a weekly or monthly plan. See young adult mentoring for how it works for veterans in their 20s.

College on the GI Bill

Blackburn is not a school or an approved education program, so mentoring is not paid through your GI Bill benefits. Questions about what your benefits cover go to your school’s certifying official or the Department of Veterans Affairs. What a mentor can help with is the student side: building a schedule around classes, adjusting to a less structured environment and classmates who may be younger, using campus resources and staying on track each term. See veterans going to college and mentoring for college students.

Translating military experience

List your duties and results in plain language, without acronyms.
Match them to the words used in civilian job postings.
Talk with people in the fields you are considering before you apply.
Practice telling your story in two minutes, focused on what you can do for the employer.

Our guide to transferable skills walks through it step by step.

Questions to ask any mentoring provider

Will I work with the same person every week, and can I reach them between sessions?
How often can we meet, and can that change as things settle?
What do your mentors not do, and how do you handle anything clinical?
Who gets updates, and how is my permission recorded?
How does this fit with the free programs I am already using?

We do not publish prices; rates are reviewed on the free intro call after you complete the five-minute assessment.

Common questions

Is there free mentoring for veterans?

Yes. Free nonprofit programs pair veterans with volunteer mentors, and campus veteran offices and transition programs offer free help. Start there if they meet your needs.

Does the GI Bill pay for Blackburn mentoring?

No. Blackburn is not a school or an approved education program. Your school’s certifying official can answer benefits questions.

Will my mentor be a veteran?

We match on fit and goals. If working with someone who served matters to you, say so on the intro call and we will tell you honestly what we can offer.

Can my family be involved?

Only if you want them to be. With your permission, your mentor can share progress updates with a parent or partner.

Get started

Want to talk through whether one-on-one mentoring fits your transition? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.

Mentoring for Veterans Starting College or a Civilian Career