Tim den Hoed, a U.S. Air Force veteran, father, husband, and now entrepreneur is transforming the way veterans find jobs. His brainchild? Major Talent—a company that is quickly gaining recognition as the bridge between military service and meaningful civilian employment.
“We’re not just trying to help veterans find jobs,” Tim told Spotlight Omaha. “We’re helping define how their value is recognized.”
Launched in 2024, Major Talent is more than a job board or resume builder—it’s an entire transition platform, built from the ground up to solve four persistent and often overlooked pain points in the veteran career journeys.
Translating Veteran Skills Into Civilian Skills
The first challenge? Career translation—a gap that many civilian employers don’t even realize exists.
Military ranks, job codes, and duties often don’t translate well into civilian language. A Navy communications specialist or Army logistics officer may hold immense leadership or technical ability, but that doesn’t always come across clearly on a traditional résumé. Employers can get lost in acronyms and assume roles that don’t match their civilian counterparts.
“They don’t care if you were a captain or a major,” Tim says. “They want to know: Can you lead? What are your actual skills?”
To solve this, Major Talent conveniently converts military records into skills-based profiles that align with common hiring standards and applicant tracking systems (ATS). Whether you’re an “88 Mike” in the Army or a nuclear targeter in the Air Force, the platform ensures your core competencies are understood and discoverable.
Résumés Reinvented
Second, the platform creates customized, skills-based résumés, replacing traditional formats with documents that highlight what a veteran can actually do rather than just what they did.
“Most of us joined the military at 17 or 18 and never had to write a résumé,” Tim noted. “Eight, twelve, or twenty years later, you’re suddenly expected to explain yourself in corporate language.”
Rather than emphasizing the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result), the résumé engine focuses on competencies and years of experience in key skill areas. This not only improves clarity but also dramatically increases visibility in automated hiring systems.
Simulated Interviews Increase Confidence
The platform’s AI-powered interview simulator is perhaps its most unique offering.
Veterans can practice mock interviews in six core categories with rotating questions—like “Tell me about yourself” or “Describe a time you solved a problem.” They can review audio, rewatch their answers, and practice working on their delivery—all without fear of judgment.
“It’s not just a shiny feature. It gives people a safe space to practice, and that’s game-changing,” Tim emphasized.
In Phase Two, employers can push custom interview questions directly to candidates, enabling asynchronous screening. Phase Three will offer fully generative interviews based on each candidate’s responses, skillset, and career goals.
“One of the first questions I ask people is: Do you want a job, or do you want to work? There’s no wrong answer—but it tells you a lot,” he said.
Job Placement with Purpose
Fourth, the company partners with employers nationwide who are intentionally committed to hiring veterans. Not just veteran-friendly companies, but those with real programs and cultural alignment—such as Omaha-based firms like Werner Trucking and Valmont Industries.
The goal is to get ahead of the curve and place veterans before they even leave the service.
“We want every veteran to have at least one real interview lined up before they separate,” Tim said.
The platform also supports military spouses, who are often overlooked. Tim shared his wife’s story—brilliant, capable, yet constantly starting over in every new location.
“One interviewer asked her, ‘How long before your husband gets reassigned?’ That’s just not right—it’s an HR problem,” he shared. Military spouses often sacrifice stability and their own advancement to support their families and service members. Major Talent is helping reverse that trend.
Accelerated Growth
When Tim launched the platform in May 2024, he had a modest goal: be in front of one Transition Assistance Program (TAP) class within three years. Less than a year later, five bases have already invited Major Talent to become part of their TAP curriculum.
“It’s humbling. But it also shows how big the need really is.”
Mission Over Momentum
Despite the rapid growth, Tim remains focused on purpose over pace.
“My first goal was simple: stay married,” he laughed. “Everything else flows from that.”
As a certified service-disabled veteran-owned business, Tim and his team know the weight of what they’re building. The platform doesn’t just help users—it represents them.
“We’re not outsiders. We are veterans. We’re walking the same road.”
And with each résumé built, each interview practiced, and each placement secured, Major Talent is proving that transitioning from the military doesn’t have to feel like jumping off a cliff. It can be a launchpad.
Want to Learn More?
Veterans or spouses: Visit www.majortalent.com to build your free profile.
Employers: Connect with a pipeline of ready-to-hire, high-skill veterans.
TAP Coordinators or Career Fair Hosts: Reach out to partner with Major Talent.
