The FourBlock Podcast

Listening is at the heart of being a good networker – and a good friend. Good listeners engage in what's called active emphatic listening, a strategy that can prevent the inevitable tendency of your mind to wander during a conversation. This week, FourBlock founder Mike Abrams shares two quick active listening techniques to help keep you focused and attentive.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

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Is there something unfair about leveraging personal contacts to help you get ahead? This week, FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams explores the topic of networking, and why it isn't about finding opportunities for yourself to get ahead in life, but about finding opportunities to help others.

Instead of seeking out and just connecting with people who can somehow advance your career, Mike says to begin looking for people who you are able to help in some way: "Helping others is an inherent trait in most veterans. We don't have to think about it; we just do it. If you think of networking as an opportunity to help others, you will naturally develop a network of people who will also have your back."

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Most open positions in today's job market are filled through networking, often before the positions are even made public or posted online. This is where many transitioning veterans need the most help. Veterans can be completely isolated from the civilian job market during their active service which can lead to a weak professional network.

And it's not just connections they lack…veterans need sponsors or professionals who are willing to put their professional capital on the line or "vouch" for them in order to get them in the door.

How does a veteran earn the sponsorship of a senior professional? This week, FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams outlines five key things veterans can do to start and develop a solid sponsorship relationship.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

There is a familiar strategy that has transcended centuries of war known as taking the high ground. This week, FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams discusses what taking the "high ground" looks like for your military transition and explores how to win this "terrain" to gain the information and opportunities needed to figure out the best next step in your life and career after military service.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Many service members believe that because they did a certain job in the military, that they're limited to certain opportunities in the civilian world. This could not be further from the truth. This week, FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams shares why it is so important for service members to have a growth mindset and to think critically when making the transition from military service to a civilian career.

As you think critically about your transition, your future career, your family, and your life, understand that your brain is a muscle. It can grow and change with hard work and effort. With a growth mindset you will be able to open doors to new opportunities and achieve things in your life and career that you never thought possible.

We encourage you to check out the video "Things that Take Zero Talent" by New York Times bestselling author, multigenerational workplace expert, and FourBlock Board Member Lindsey Pollak. This video is part of an online career transition course created in partnership with Columbia University called Find Your Calling: Transition Principles for Returning Veterans.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

What is the first step for a veteran looking to transition out of the military into a civilian career, or for any job seeker? What are the areas where veterans can excel in the career search process? How is hiring going to change in response to the impacts of COVID-19? This week, author, keynote speaker, and career search advisor Steve Dalton joins hosts Lindsey Pollak and Mike Abrams to highlight the importance of professional relationships and referrals, discuss how the hiring landscape may change, and provide prescriptive advice for conducting a successful career search.

Steve addresses the areas where veterans excel that can help provide an advantage in the job search process. He also explores the similarities and differences of career searching today versus career searching during the financial crisis in 2008 and explains why he has optimism for job searchers today.

Steve is a Program Director and Senior Career Consultant for the full-time MBA Program at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. He holds his own MBA from the same institution and a chemical engineering degree from Case Western Reserve University.

Prior to entering the career services industry, Steve was an Associate Marketing Manager at General Mills, and a Strategy Consultant at A.T. Kearney (now Kearny). Steve is also the founder and CEO of Contact2Colleague, a corporate training firm specializing in helping organizations teach their personnel to turn strangers into advocates on demand.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

As an employer, how do you go about building a successful veteran hiring program at your company? As a veteran, how can you take advantage of these types of programs to put your best foot forward and get hired?

This week, Army Veteran and Head of Military and Veteran Programs at Uber Michael Pett joins FourBlock founder and host Mike Abrams to share his expertise, discuss the components of a successful veteran hiring and retention program, and provide actionable advice to both employers and veterans seeking employment.

Michael joined the US Army in 1998. He was stationed in Schofield Barracks, Hawai'i with the 25th Infantry Division, where he deployed to Iraq from December 2003 through March 2005.

He served as a Casualty Operations Specialist with the 225 Forward Support Battalion. This position required him to be pushed throughout the field of operations to process wounded warriors and local nationals from point of injury to combat support hospitals located in Iraq, Germany, and the United States. After 15 years of active duty service and over 21 years of total service, Michael retired from the Illinois Army National Guard in September of 2019.

After exiting active duty, Michael joined Accenture as the North American Military Recruiting Lead. He worked tirelessly to create new initiatives focusing on the growth and professional development of student veterans, current service members, and spouses. Each tailored program provided candidates with tangible tools required to succeed in the ever-changing corporate climate. In 2016, Michael formalized a sponsorship between Accenture and FourBlock, bringing the program to Chicago.

Now at Uber, Michael serves as the Head of Military and Veteran Programs (MVP), where he has the distinct privilege of standing up the first-ever global military, veteran, and partner hiring program. This program will bring MVP talent into all lines of businesses across Uber in all the mega regions. He is currently building integration and transition tools to ensure all MVP talent has a soft place to land when they get to Uber.

Connect with Michael Pett on LinkedIn and join Uber's Military, Veteran, and Partner Recruiting group on LinkedIn.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

What is the definition of 'veteran'? This week, we welcome SgtMaj Anthony Spadaro, who joins host Mike Abrams to examine the varied experiences of veterans; discuss the unique impact of the military's education model and how it teaches service members to become critical thinkers and prepare for leadership roles; and share some factors that HR departments should consider when shaping their veteran hiring initiatives.

SgtMaj Spadaro retired from the Marine Corps in 2020 after a distinguished 35-year military career. He served at the most senior levels for the Marine Corps and Department of Defense and culminated his service to our Nation as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the largest combatant command with 380,000 uniformed and civilian members and 36 partner nations.

During his time in service, Anthony served in every climate and place, in both peacetime and combat. He has served in a variety of diverse and challenging assignments, to include time as a Field Artilleryman, Intelligence Analyst, Marine Security Guard and Drill Instructor. As a Senior Enlisted Leader, Anthony served at every leadership billet – from Company/Battery First Sergeant all the way to the Force Level as a Sergeant Major. Anthony first met FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams when they served together in Bravo Batter, 1st Battalion, 12th Marines, and continues to serve as a mentor to Mike today.

Originally from New Brunswick, New Jersey, Anthony is a graduate of Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Science in Labor and Management (Summa Cum Laude). He has completed every level of military professional military education and is currently enrolled at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Though recently retired from the Marine Corps, Anthony continues to serve today as a leadership consultant and strategic advisor with Beaver Fit USA, Bravo Sierra, FourBlock, and FITOPS. Additionally, he is the Vice President for Training, 5th Principle LLC, a leadership coach with the Resilience Building Leader Program, and an Adjunct Faculty member with the Marine Corps University. Anthony and his wife Kathryn currently reside in Honolulu, Hawai'i.

Anthony's official military biography can be found at: https://www.defense.gov/Our-Story/Biographies/Biography/Article/944054/sergeant-major-anthony-a-spadaro/.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

After moving out on his own at 15 and dropping out of high school, Damien Bertolo found guidance and support from an unexpected mentor who motivated him to go back to school. Damien went on to graduate high school, get accepted to college, and ultimately go on to join the Marine Corps, where he served on active duty from 2003-2012. On this week's episode, Damien shares his transition experience and talks about why that lesson of mentorship stuck with him and why he continues to give back to others today.

Damien now works as a Management Consultant at Accenture, based in San Francisco, and previously served as the Director of Operations for FourBlock, where he had been involved as a volunteer as early as 2013. He currently serves on FourBlock's National Leadership Council.

Damien served as a Marine in Iraq in 2006 and 2007 and was selected to enter a commissioning program while deployed. After earning his degree at Cal State University San Marcos and a commission as a Marine Officer, Damien served his final two years and ended his active duty service in 2012.

After pursuing a career in real estate in New York City, Damien gained experience in talent acquisition and in program and operations management. While performing his duties at FourBlock, he pursued and completed his MBA at NYU Stern with a focus on corporate strategy, finance, and business analytics. Damien has helped develop and advise business models for veteran recruitment and retention, and currently focuses in change management and business transformation.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

June 27th is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Day. In observance of this day, we are revisiting an interview that was originally released on October 28th, 2019, when Dr. Amanda Spray joined us to examine truths and debunk some myths about PTSD.

Dr. Spray is the Program Director of the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at NYU Langone Health and a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She completed her doctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the VA New York Harbor Healthcare system on the Manhattan campus.

Dr. Spray founded the training program within NYU Langone Military Family Center, which now trains 12 to 14 doctoral and postdoctoral students annually. She provides supervision and training within the center and the community at large. She provides individual cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy to veterans and family members in the military family center and specializes in health psychology and adult ADHD.

Note: This episode contains in-depth discussions regarding PTSD. We advise listening to this episode at your own risk. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please contact the Veterans Crisis Line. This nationwide, toll-free hotline connects veterans and service members in crisis and their loved ones with information and qualified Department of Veterans Affairs responders.

For more information, call 800-273-8255.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter