Close The Deal Podcast with Colonel Beau Higgins

 Vice President of Business Development - Oplign

In a this episode of the "Close the Deal" Podcast, host Ewell Smith interviewed his high school friend Beau Higgins, a former Marine who transitioned into a civilian career by helping veterans secure employment.

Higgins's last military role was as the commanding officer at Camp Lejeune, and he later spent seven years as a senior manager for military talent acquisition at Amazon. Currently, he works for Oplign, a company that leverages AI to match veterans with job opportunities.

Higgins emphasized the significance of ongoing preparation for transition from military to civilian life, suggesting that veterans maintain their networks and start preparing at least six to nine months before leaving the service. He highlighted the challenge veterans face in translating military skills to civilian job markets and praised Oplign for simplifying this process. The Oplign platform, which is free for veterans, military spouses, and student veterans, matches users with potential employers by translating their military skills into relevant job qualifications. This technology is already utilized by major companies like Amazon, J&J, and Boeing.

Higgins addressed common misconceptions about veterans, noting that they bring discipline, problem-solving skills, and the ability to perform under pressure. He urged companies to consider veterans as a valuable talent pool and explained that Oplign's technology helps recruiters understand and appreciate veterans' skill sets. Companies can integrate their job listings with Oplign easily and benefit from a ranked list of suitable veteran candidates daily.

The conversation also touched on Higgins's involvement with the Travis Manion Foundation, named after a Marine and Naval Academy graduate who was killed in Iraq. The foundation supports families of fallen soldiers and promotes character development in schools. Higgins shared information about the foundation's annual 9/11 runs, which aim to remember the impact of 9/11 and foster a sense of community reminiscent of the unity experienced on 9/12.

In closing, Higgins encouraged employers interested in hiring veterans to contact him for a demo of Oplign. He highlighted the tool's ease of use and effectiveness in bridging the gap between military experience and civilian job requirements. For veterans, he recommended using Oplign to narrow their job search and find roles that align with their skills, thus facilitating a smoother transition to civilian employment.