In his wildest dreams, Army veteran Scott Kelly never thought something as simple as his resume would go viral or that he would be sitting on “The Tonight Show” couch next to the Jonas Brothers, talking to Jimmy Fallon.
But there he was on Nov. 13 sharing his unlikely story.
At a Concert
Kelly’s tale spread throughout TikTok when a user noticed someone checking out the veteran’s resume online in the middle of a Jonas Brothers concert. Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas even posted supportive messages for Kelly to be hired by prospective employers.
Initially, Kelly had no clue about the social media buzz he was creating until a friend filled him in while he sat in class for an MBA program. Turns out, Kelly knew the man scrolling through his resume in the video; he knew him well, in fact. It was Army buddy Brandon Bieron. The two veterans served together at Fort Drum, New York, in 2014 and were members of the same infantry battalion. Kelly still had Bieron’s contact information saved on his phone.
After serving together briefly, Kelly and Bieron went their separate ways; Kelly to Special Forces and Bieron to the 75th Ranger Regiment.
“And now we find out we’re both in Upstate New York working on the civilian side,” Kelly told Fallon. “It’s a small world.”
Reuniting with a Veteran Buddy
In a strange twist, however, Kelly never really applied for a job. He actually works for a telecommunications company and told the Washington Post he enjoys his job. But the viral video led Kelly to reconnect with Bieron, who manages Reimer Home Services, a company that works to hire veterans. Bieron plans to be Kelly’s guest on “At the Water’s Edge,” a podcast Kelly hosts focusing on national security.
“[Bieron’s] been very successful in his post-military career,” Kelly said. “He’s the president of a company out there called Reimer — they do home services in the Buffalo area, and he’s always looking to bring on veteran talent.”
Kelly said veterans are often shackled by the challenges of transitioning from military to civilian life. Bieron’s business provides a way to help bridge that gap.
“[Bieron] goes out of his way to hire veteran talent in the area for his company,” Kelly said.
As Kelly told his story, both Fallon and the Jonas Brothers were surprised to learn of his background. That’s when Kelly, 36, floored them with a surprise of his own.
“Can I share a real thing? I had never heard of you before this,” Kelly said, turning to the Jonas brothers. “I didn't have Disney Channel growing up, I didn't know!”
The Jonas Brothers rose to popularity in the mid-2000s as a teen pop rock trio, and after going on a hiatus to pursue solo projects for several years, reunited in 2019, producing the smash hit single “Sucker,” which skyrocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
While the brothers looked a bit shocked, Kelly had never heard of them, they didn’t seem to take it personally, laughing it off and thanking the veteran for his service. Fallon also shared a QR code that links to Kelly’s LinkedIn page.
Jonas Brothers & Brands Show Support
The TikTok video, posted Nov. 10, has generated more than 50 million views.
Jen Wilson, seated behind Bieron at the concert, thought it was interesting to see someone reading a resume on their phone while the Jonas Brothers performed on stage. Wilson took out her phone, recorded a short video, and uploaded it to TikTok with the message, “Scott Kelly, your resume was being reviewed at a Jonas Brothers concert tonight. Good luck.”
After the video quickly spread online, the Jonases playfully supported Kelly, hoping he would land the job.
“Scott Kelly’s work ethic and critical thinking inspired me to write the line ‘red dress,’” Nick posted.
“Bro, Scott Kelly was there for me plenty of times. Hired.” Joe added.
Kevin Jonas posted, “I’m one of Scott Kelly’s references.”
But the fun didn’t stop there. Popular brands, like Vrbo, also rallied behind the veteran.
“Scott Kelly built my house. Hire him,” the travel company wrote.
Laneige, a Korean skincare brand, posted, “Scott Kelly has hydrated skin you should def hire him.”
Clothing retailer Old Navy also jumped into the act, posting: “Scott Kelly always dresses professionally, highly recommend.”
Kelly’s resume video has generated an astonishing 34,000 comments and counting. TikTok users and other big-name brands are joining the bandwagon promoting Kelly’s talents.
While Kelly already has a job, the veteran’s newfound fame could lead him to some lucrative opportunities in the future.
