More than 318,000 veterans live in the greater Houston metropolitan area – the second largest concentration in the country. In the past year and a half, Memorial Hermann has put a special emphasis on its recruitment of veterans. Since November 2012, Memorial Hermann has hired nearly 500 employees from this untapped pool of potential.
“People with military experience have been through hours of discipline training which will carry through to work they may do at the hospital. This level of experience is a true added value,” said Navy veteran Albert Kaiser, R.N., Surgical Services manager at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center
Kaiser, who worked as a Navy avionics technician and advanced quickly through the ranks to leadership positions, transitioned into a nursing career when he left the military. Today, he regularly falls back on his military training to manage surgical services in the hospital’s main operating room.
“Veterans want to work for Memorial Hermann because our value system is very much in line with that of the military,” said Robert Kitto, director of Talent Acquisition at Memorial Hermann and an Air Force veteran. “When I was in the service, our first core value was ‘service before self.’ That is what Memorial Hermann is all about – the patient comes first.”
Joining Memorial Hermann in its efforts to recruit veterans are the 54 members of the Texas Medical Center.
“Our service members who fight to protect our freedoms abroad should not have to fight for jobs when they return home,” said John B. Holcomb, M.D., a retired Army colonel and director of the Memorial Hermann Texas Trauma Institute. Holcomb, along with legendary trauma surgeon and Army veteran, James “Red” Duke, MD., founder and medical director of Memorial Hermann Life Flight®, are the catalysts behind Texas Medical Center’s “Hiring Red, White & You!” program.
Married to Air Force Master Sergeant Colby Benjamin, Monique Benjamin is a recruitment consultant for Memorial Hermann. She regularly visits military bases in San Antonio to attend career fairs and participate in military transition assistance programs, reviewing resumes and offering guidance about skills that will carry over to the civilian job market.
“Someone may come out with experience working in only one job area such as security forces or combat medic, and not know how to convert their military experience,” said Benjamin. “I help translate those skills for the civilian world, ask questions and dig deeper into that person’s background. Most military service members learn a variety of skills during their military careers that make them suitable for a variety of jobs.”
Benjamin also works with military family members, providing consultation on resume writing and offering career advice.
“As a military spouse, I understand the challenges of frequent moves and changing jobs,” said Benjamin. “Being married to a soldier, more often than not, makes you flexible, organized, a problem-solver, and self-motivated – skills every employer is looking for in today’s job market.”
For more information about Memorial Hermann's employment opportunities for veterans, email jobs@memorialhermann.org or visit our website.