Pat Hubbell
Cofounder, Executive Director Candorful
Pat Hubbell
JOB: Cofounder, Executive Director Candorful
The Pressures and Pitfalls of Transitioning from Military to Civilian Life - The Story of Pat Hubbell and Candorful
Pat Hubbell has dedicated her career to helping veterans transition to civilian life. Her passion for assisting veterans grew out of her experience working with MBA students at Cornell University.
In that role, Pat saw firsthand the power of mock interviews. Students who went through mock interviews were twice as likely to land their desired jobs and did so six months faster than students who didn't practice. Pat became convinced that more transitioning veterans needed this kind of personalized coaching to succeed after the military.
So, in 2016, Pat and her business partner Pete Sukits, a veteran himself, founded Candorful. Their goal was to connect transitioning veterans and military spouses with experienced professionals who could coach them through practice interviews.
The Rewards of Candorful
Building Candorful has been very rewarding for Pat. "I walk away feeling uplifted by people," she says of her interactions with veterans. Their gratitude also inspired her to expand Candorful's services. In 2018, the organization served 180 people. In 2023, Candorful will have supported over 1,200 veterans and military spouses with interview preparation.
The Challenges for Veterans
Still, Pat is aware of the challenges veterans face when entering the civilian job market. She cautions that there is rarely an easy transition from the military one day to a civilian career the next. Veterans need to start planning their transitions at least one year in advance. This allows time to build networking contacts and polish resumes. It also accounts for the reality that landing the right job takes months of effort and perseverance through perceived failures.
Helping Military Spouses
Military spouses have their own hurdles to overcome as well. Spouses often struggle to speak about their own skills confidently because military life accustoms them to talk about themselves primarily as their spouse’s supporter. Candorful coaches work specifically on guiding military spouses to articulate their personal assets.
Advice for All Transition Stages
No matter where someone is in their transition journey - just starting to consider getting out or in their final months of service - Pat emphasizes that tailored interview prep shortens the path to meaningful civilian employment. Preparation breeds confidence and the ability to communicate confidently.
Looking Ahead for Candorful
As Candorful moves into its eighth year of operations, Pat is focused on expanding the organization’s reach and impact. She aims to serve 2,000 veterans and military spouses in 2023. Pat also wants to engage more volunteers to meet the demand for Candorful’s services.
No matter how large Candorful grows, Pat stresses that personalized attention remains key. she explains, “Mock interviews were the ingredient that made a measurable difference to MBA students’ career success. We apply that same principle to make veterans irresistible candidates and confident leaders in business.”
So, while logistics evolve, Candorful stays rooted in its original vision - empowering veterans and families through customized interview preparation. Pat firmly believes this improves lives, companies, and communities.