Cox’s Pledge to Veterans and Military Spouses
Career transitions can be challenging, yes, but also very rewarding. Peter Mahmood, who retired from active duty after 24 years in the United States Army, knows this well.
“I used to think that military retirees were just playing golf,” he said. “But it was more of a transition to finding a civilian career.”
Peter knack for spotting people’s potential served him well as a recruiter in the Army and later in his civilian work. In 2022, Peter joined Cox in a job that felt like it was tailor-made for him: to help develop long-term strategies supporting veterans and military spouses in their civilian careers.
“Honestly, when I read through the job description, I jumped up and I said, ‘There’s nobody else for this job but me,’” said Peter, senior recruiter and military relations manager at Cox. “I was sold from the minute I read it.”
Cox’s recognition as a top workplace for military members, past and present, reflects our commitment to fostering an environment where everyone can succeed. As part of Military.com’s Veteran Hiring Commitment Program, we’ve strengthened our pledge to welcome and support those who have served.
“Veterans and military spouses bring an incredible range of technical and transferable skills — including leadership, teamwork and commitment — that we at Cox value immensely,” Peter said.
Here’s a deeper dive into what makes Cox a great employer for veterans and military spouses to build rewarding careers.
Connecting with military bases and veterans’ organizations
Having served in the military himself, Peter understands that one of the best times to connect with people about career opportunities at Cox is when they are still on active duty and undergoing Transition Assistance Program (TAP) workshops on base.
“Over my first year at Cox, I connected with every military base that has a transition assistance program,” he said.
Thanks to Peter and his team, Cox has made significant strides in veteran and military hiring:
- We work with more than 25 military bases and a dozen veterans and military spouse groups, such as Army Community Service, Navy Fleet and Family and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- We participate in hiring events on military bases nationwide.
- We regularly share Cox job openings to Transition Assistance Program (TAP) offices nationwide.
Another major opportunity for active-duty members and military spouses at Cox is through the Hiring Our Heroes corporate fellowship program. These 12-week internships offer insight into corporate roles while participants consider their next steps.
“These programs have brought incredible talent to Cox, including several hires in recent years,” Peter said.
For military spouses, the corporate fellowship could lead to a full-time job: “We’re using that military spouse fellowship as a pathway — an opportunity for them to come in and see what full-time roles we have,” Peter said.
In 2023, Cox was inducted as an employer partner with the US Department of Defense Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP). This underscores Cox’s commitment to recruit, hire and retain military spouses, offer quality careers and recognize the dedication and talent of this community. Military spouses often look for flexible work opportunities that can fit their lifestyle, and Cox offers just that: a career that can grow and change with them.
“Military spouses are not job hoppers — they are sometimes forced by necessity to move,” Peter said. “That’s the key: providing a career they can take with them to another state or have that seamless move within the company as well.”
Matching military experience with new career paths
Cox seeks out military talent across all our businesses for careers in technology, sales, engineering, automotive and more.
“Due to the versatility and the different career fields in the military, we do have a lot of opportunities, from entry-level to mid-level and up to senior manager and above,” Peter said.
Cox helps transitioning service members find their ideal fit by letting them search for jobs based on their military occupational specialty (MOS) code.
“They can plug into those numbers into our Cox careers site, and it will come up with careers that they will be familiar with,” Peter said. “We also are assisting Cox recruiters and hiring managers on how to interpret military qualifications and where they would fit in the company.”
What makes Cox great for a post-military career?
One of the reasons why Cox is an employer of choice for those who’ve served in the military is what we stand for as a company — plus a 127-year track record of making a difference in our communities.
“Cox’s core values and culture embrace the values we live by in the military: integrity, loyalty, teamwork and service over self,” Peter said.
Cox also supports individual growth and development. The company offers an extensive catalogue of learning and development resources, from self-guided and instructor-led courses to tuition reimbursement to go back to school or earn a certification.
One of the company’s employee resource groups, SALUTE, which is open to all employees, offers mentorship and other programs that support employees with military backgrounds. Peter, an active SALUTE member, knows that making connections and building community at work is a huge part of what makes life at Cox special. Oftentimes, he invites local SALUTE members to join him at job fairs to introduce themselves and start making connections with people before their first day at the company.
“As a military guy, I don’t just work for an organization for a salary,” Peter said. “Everybody wants to come in and find a home in corporate America where they feel happy.”
Interested in a career at Cox? Explore our job openings and join our Talent Community today!
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