"Bet on Yourself": An Air Force C-17 Crew Chief on SkillBridge, Hiring Our Heroes, and Landing at Google
Veterans in the Park
Andre Paradiang grew up moving every few years. His father had immigrated from the Philippines by enlisting in the Navy, and kept the military rhythm long after he got out. Andre joined the Air Force in 2015 because he loved airplanes and wanted the education and medical benefits, and spent the next ten years as a C-17 crew chief: servicing a quarter-billion-dollar aircraft, then running a maintenance dock around the clock, then setting up airfields with a contingency response unit, and finally serving as his commander's resource advisor, planning and tracking the unit's budget. Today he works in strategic partnerships at Google.
He explains why he left when he did. He had earned his degree, done "the cool stuff," and was ready for the next step. A year before separation he committed to SkillBridge, and Hiring Our Heroes connected him with companies. In the first minute of his Google interview he was told there would be no role at the end, only a project. Another company offered a warehouse internship with a job waiting afterward. He took the gamble, applied to Google roles during the eight-week internship, and landed the job he has now.
The conversation also covers how to translate military experience (explain your resume the way you would to someone's grandma, and leave "retired" off it), how to find purpose when no drill instructor is setting the standard anymore, and why the people you work with matter more than the task of the day, whether that task is a C-17 or a multi-million-dollar partnership.
His advice to his younger self: don't be afraid to bet on yourself. Staying in isn't wrong and getting out isn't wrong; it depends on your goals. Host Charles, a Marine Corps veteran, closes on the same point: have a plan A and B, and look outside the box. If you're weighing that decision, or wondering whether there's anything out there for you, start here.
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