Job Seeker Success: Orion

Orion is the nation’s leading JMO Recruiter – we place Junior Military Officers into America’s Fortune 500 and beyond. All of our JMO Recruiters are also former Junior Military Officers, allowing us the unique perspective on exactly what you’re going through, because we’ve been there before.

Don’t just take it from us though, read what your fellow JMO peers have to say about Orion’s recruiting services.

Would you like to submit a story about your experiences with Orion?

"When I left the Air Force in September 2006, I was a First Lieutenant. I was contacted by Todd Phillips, who had seen my resume online. He did an outstanding job of listening to my needs and was also very helpful in preparing me for my interview with Kmart, with whom I accepted a position. The salary I was offered was $15,000 more than what I was offered by any other corporation with which I had interviewed on my own or through any other recruiting firms.

Orion was far superior to the competition. They listened when I told them that I wanted to stay in Michigan and found opportunities for me there when other recruiters were trying to get me to interview out-of-state.

My experience with Orion was very positive. Orion and Todd exceeded my needs and went above and beyond. I would recommend their services to anyone searching for a new career. Thank you for all your assistance. Orion truly assisted me in finding a job that I will enjoy."
~ Chad Hopkins, Store Coach in Training, Kmart

"I started my new position with Accredited Home Lenders at the start of the New Year. I definitely could not have done it without the support of Orion and JP Sniffen. Their motivational attitude was instrumental in getting me into the right mindset. Orion provides a tremendous service for those of us transitioning out of the service and back into the civilian sector."
~ Mike Wang, Accredited Home Lenders, Account Executive

"I was a Captain when I separated from the Army in July 2001. I began my most recent job search in July 2006 and decided to use Orion. My recruiter was Todd Phillips. He was definitely on the lookout for a career that fit the guidelines that I provided Orion. In fact, I interviewed with US BioEnergy and was offered a job on the spot. The position was a better match than I could have ever imagined! Orion found the perfect job for me and were much more responsive and concerned about my specifications along the way than other recruiting agencies. I had a great experience with Orion. They found me the perfect position. I'd definitely recommend Orion to someone looking for their dream job!"
~ Pat Rowe, Project Manager, US BioEnergy

"As a former Non-Commissioned Officer, and a recent college grad, I was unsure of what to expect in the job market. I knew that I possessed valuable leadership and analytical skills, as well as the "intangible" skill set that any worthwhile military member retains. Needless to say, I was anxious when I began my job search in October 2006 after having been out of the Army for about three years, where I worked as a Medical Platoon Sergeant in a Light Infantry Battalion. I came across Orion on the Internet after looking online and dealing with other recruiting agencies that simply listed my resume on their database. In fact, I was told by other agencies that corporate America was only interested in hiring a former JMO. After dealing with Orion, I accepted a position as Team Leader at General Mills within three weeks of the hiring conference I attended!

Todd Phillips, my recruiter, was awesome!! I had several conversations with him before he even attempted to match me with a company. Through speaking with Todd, I came to realize that this wasn't the typical recruiting company. Orion is staffed by former military! I was never pushed into anything and was able to confidently voice any misgiving without fear of being placed on the "back burner." Todd was obviously taking all of my family's and my needs into account when he proposed which companies I should speak with.

I attended only one hiring conference with Orion, and it was AMAZING. It was well organized and did not waste a moment of the time of any of the candidates in attendance. Upon arrival, I was given an itinerary for the next couple of days, including interviews with several different companies. Within two days of the conference, I spoke with Todd and learned how I fared with the companies. I had been to events put on by other recruiting agencies, and Orion's was far and away the most professional.

Following the hiring conference, I was fielding calls from all but one of the companies with which I interviewed. In fact, I was so confident in Orion that I turned down one job offer that I had from outside of Orion and ended up accepting the Team Leader position with General Mills for $20,000 more than the one I turned down. Thanks to Orion's hiring conference I achieved my goal of finding a stable position that allowed my wife, who was separating from the military as well, to have the option of staying home with our newborn.

Orion not only met my needs; they far exceeded any and all expectations I had. Orion was definitely the most professional, courteous, and proactive of the recruiting agencies with which I have worked. Each candidate recruiter I spoke with was extremely knowledgeable in their area of expertise, and they were genuinely concerned with how I felt the process was going. I could not have asked for a better or more enjoyable experience. Orion made it all possible!"
~ Jake Yuchasz, Team Leader, General Mills

"My experience with Orion, both prior to and during conference, was extremely positive. I don't offer this compliment simply because I am pumped up about a higher than average starting salary, but rather because I honestly feel that solid matches were made based upon my expressed preferences and participating client opportunities. Additionally, the materials and support provided prior to conference were fundamental to my success during interviews.

I attended a later conference held by another recruiting firm and walked away from it with a completely different feeling than I did from the Orion conference, where I came away with a job and a positive perception of Orion. Thank you, Bob Berkholz, and the team at Orion!"
~ Sean Beckett, Project Manager Oceaneering International

"I was introduced to an opportunity with my new employer, Accredited Home Lenders, after only one inquiry to Orion International, which was a much more productive and timely response than I got from another military-focused recruiter. Unlike that other recruiter, the Orion representatives I worked with encouraged me to conduct my own thorough research, so I was able to determine which company I wanted to pursue with confidence. I am very pleased to be enrolled in Accredited's Management Trainee Program, because it is the right fit for my career aspirations based on both my transferable military skills and experience. I appreciate Orion's approach because it allowed me to stay in control of the job search and make confident decisions. I am grateful for the help I received from JP Sniffen and Chris Hurst and am very satisfied with the job they helped me find."
~ Christopher Lobus, Account Executive, Accredited Home Lenders

"I started looking for a job in September of 2006 after deciding to separate from the United States Air Force where I served as an Operations and Training Officer. I placed my resume online and was soon contacted by Matthew Owens. After speaking with Matt, I attended a hiring conference with Orion where the set up was exactly what I was looking for. I arrived on a Sunday and practiced interview techniques with the Orion team for half a day. We then received in-depth company information for the second half. Finally, the interviews were broken up into two days, which was perfect. I highly recommend these conferences to any transitioning JMO. The conference helped me find exactly the job I was looking for. I will be in a leadership role with a huge amount of responsibility working in an organization that strives to be #1.

I believe Orion better prepares its candidates for success than other agencies, and they develop a great rapport with their candidates. Indeed, Orion met my needs 100%. Matt and the Orion team were fantastic. They made every effort to set me up for success, and I was treated professionally. The service your company provides is unmatched and is instrumental during the transition process. Your team has quality people, and it was a pleasure to work with them. I truly thank the Orion team out of Cincinnati!"
~ Abe Rivas, Unit Manager, Stryker Instruments

"Unlike their competition, Orion was straight up with me from the beginning and did not try to sell me on the regular line of empty promises that other recruiting firms did, nor did they play down the competition. Stephanie Moser simply explained what opportunities she had for me and that they could be great backups if other opportunities did not pan out. That was exactly what happened, and she came through for me! My job with VEECO is exactly what I was looking for since it is surprisingly similar to what I was doing as an operations officer in the Army. I can confidently say that Stephanie found me a job for which my prior service prepared me well."
~ Roger Trimble, Project Manager, VEECO

"I began my job search in September 2005, ten months before I officially separated from the military where I served as a 1LT (p) Branched Armor in the US Army. I had received numerous mailings from Orion and decided to give them a try, as well as interview with other recruiting firms. I did my homework and successfully interviewed with several different firms.

At Orion, my recruiter Matthew Owens, treated me very well and with the utmost respect. He responded to my inquiry with a detailed list of companies seeking candidates in a specific region. I was unable to attend any conferences, but I did pick a company from the list Matt sent me and put all my eggs in that one basket. And it worked for me! I am now a group leader for the Target Corporation. It is not only the type of job I was looking for, but is THE job I was looking for in exactly the location I wanted.

Compared to the other agencies I worked with, Orion most closely suited my needs. Unlike Orion, the competition does not grant much flexibility in terms of locations for potential jobs. Orion worked with me and managed to give me exactly what I wanted where I wanted."
~ Ingo Kaufman, Group Leader, Target Corporation

"I heard about Orion International from a friend who separated from the Navy a few years ago. Orion connected him with a great opportunity, and he was happy with the experience working with his Orion recruiter. So when it came time for me to separate from the Navy as a Lieutenant in September 2006, I contacted Orion by phone and talked with a Stephanie Moser about my job preferences.

Stephanie was a great listener AND she delivered. The other company I was working with was nice and friendly over the phone but did not go the extra mile to help me find the ideal opportunity. For the next three months, Stephanie contacted me when opportunities opened. The Orion team assisted me with the interview process and even prepped me with potential interview questions. I felt fully prepared going into the interviews.

I was recently hired as a Sales Associate for Stryker Medical. The job is exactly what I was looking for. Also, I was very specific with Stephanie about location. Orion not only got me the location, they also connected me with a great company.

Orion ranks far better than the competition. Most companies rely solely on hiring conferences to fit candidates with jobs and will not connect you with opportunities outside of the conferences. While hiring conferences are great, they do not always provide the best solution for someone like me looking for a specific opportunity. Orion thought outside the box of conferences and continuously provided legitimate leads for me.

Orion was a valuable source during my job search. The recruiters at Orion listened and wanted to help. At the end of the day, it was Orion who provided me with the lead to my new job. Thanks!"
~ Scott Mackes, Associate Sales Representative, Stryker Medical

"For those in the military seeking a seamless transition into civilian employment I can't recommend a better facilitator than the folks at Orion. JP Sniffen and his staff embodied the excellence and professionalism that we all have become accustomed to throughout our careers. Their attention to detail and personalized service help to squelch the uncertainty throughout the process and gives candidates confidence while participating in the hiring conferences and interviewing with companies. The Orion staff delivered by setting me up with several opportunities that resulted in multiple job offers. They helped me to find the perfect fit in the exact location I was looking for, at the compensation package my family needed, with a Sales Engineer position with Tyco Electronics. Without their help I would have had difficulty focusing my efforts and tracking down the most solid prospects. Semper Fidelis."
~ Matthew Beatty, Sales Engineer, Tyco Electronics

"A friend of mine obtained a good job through Orion, so as my separation date from the Army approached, I decided to start searching for jobs through Orion, as well. True to my friend's experience, my needs and priorities were very much considered by my recruiter, Todd Phillips, who treated me very well. I attended a hiring conference and obtained a position with as an engineer at a large construction firm, which was exactly the position I was hoping to find, as I was an engineer in the Army. Orion completely met my needs.I had no need to look anywhere else."
~ Chris Clifford, Industrial Construction Management, Graycor

"I completed my Naval career as Operations Officer on USS Mount Whitney, having reached the rank of LCDR. I left the Navy in August 2006 and started searching for jobs when I returned stateside thereafter. After Orion contacted me, I began working with Chris Demmons, who was outstanding. I made things more challenging by initially restricting my search to the Tampa Bay area. Chris listened and made every effort to find me a position. He definitely worked with me to attain a position that I would be excited about. I then attended the Atlanta hiring conference where I completed six interviews over two days! The on-site interview preparation conducted in small group sessions during the hiring process was without a doubt critical to my successful pursuit of a position with Tyco Healthcare.

Roger Ouimet immediately provided me feedback for his companies at the conference, and Chris followed up with me the following week. By then, I was on my follow-up interview with Tyco, where I am now the Assistant Human Resources Manager. It was the exact position I was looking for. I would never have been able to break into the HR field without Orion.

One of the things I liked about Orion was that the employees frowned upon bashing the competition. They felt their own superior performance spoke for itself and refrained from knocking the other guys. Ed Voelsing in particular was adamant that while Orion is better, you can spend your time telling others that fact or you go out and prove it. Orion certainly proved it. I felt that the individuals who worked with me from Orion were first-class. Rob Gumpper, Ed, Chris, and Roger are outstanding representatives of Orion. Orion is a superior veteran placement company, and I would definitely recommend them to anyone separating from the service."
~ Kevin Underwood, Assistant Human Resources Manager, Tyco Healthcare

"Thank you so much for helping me to get the position at Home Depot. I start next Monday and am really looking forward to it! Please thank everyone on the Orion team, including Rob Gumpper, for all of their efforts. I'm greatly appreciative."
~ Nikki Peoples, Inventory Analyst, Home Depot

"After attending the US Coast Guard Academy and graduating in 2001, I served for five years and reached the rank of Lieutenant. In March 2006, I began my job search in preparation for a July separation. A co-worker referred me to Orion International. I worked mainly with JP Sniffen and was very impressed with him. He treated me very professionally, and I felt that I was important to him.not just another 'number'. I attended a Seattle hiring conference and received a job offer to be a Production Supervisor for a large cast parts company. This was exactly the type of job I was looking for. Overall, I felt that Orion far exceeded the other recruiters I worked with. I feel that Orion was truly trying to meet all of my needs (location, type of position, etc.), and they were not just trying to find me some job and move on to the next candidate. Did Orion meet my needs? YES!!"
~ Jeff Platt, Production Supervisor, PCC Structurals

"My experience with Orion was outstanding! After looking for a job on my own for about six months as I prepared to separate from the Air Force in May 2007, I turned to Orion with only six months left to go. I heard about Orion through colleagues at work and was soon in contact with J.P. Sniffen. He was extremely helpful throughout the process and prepared me to the maximum extent possible while considering all my needs.

I attended a hiring conference in San Diego and interviewed with five companies. The pairing of the companies to me was very effective. Orion did a great job matching my needs and desires to the companies that could provide those to me. I will soon hold the position of a Sales Engineer with Tyco Electronics. This position is exactly what I was looking for. I would recommend Orion to any prior military personnel looking to enter the corporate world. The process and preparation that Orion provides for their candidates is extremely effective. I am very happy with my new position and owe it all to Orion."
~ Cory Demery, Sales Engineer, Tyco Electronics

"In the military, I held positions such as Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, Operations Officer, Detachment Commander, and Company Commander. I am currently a Captain, and am drilling as a reservist. I began searching for jobs after my tour of duty in Iraq in 2005 and after working in a civilian job already.

I learned about Orion through an online search. Stephanie Moser was my recruiter, and she was fantastic. She treated me with professionalism and enthusiasm. All my needs were considered, which was great!

I attended the Philadelphia hiring conference, where I met with several companies and narrowed them down to the few that I wanted to seriously consider. After the dust settled, and I narrowed my focus, I was scheduled for follow up interviews with Kmart among others, and then they gave me an offer letter! I was elated since they were my first choice. The position I applied for was a Store Manager. I will eventually become a District Manager.

Orion definitely met all of my needs. They blow away the competition, and I would recommend them to anyone transitioning from the military!"
~ Ken Burr, Retail Store Manager, Kmart

"Thank you SOOOmuch for all your help. I really want my military comrades to know that Orion is DEFINITELY the way to go as far as finding QUALITY career choices post service. Thanks again to Stephanie Moser and the Orion team for making my life delightful once again!"
~ Melinda Welch, Retail Store Manager, Kmart Corporation

"I just want to thank Bob Berkholz and his team of professionals for helping me find a job. Allied Waste offered me an Operations Manager position on Friday, and I accepted without hesitation. Since December 2006, I have applied for hundreds of jobs through online resume sites with no luck. With Orion, I interviewed with eight companies in the past two months, and that's all I needed--an opportunity to sell myself during a face-to-face interview. Orion's interview preparation along with exposure to companies was key in find a job. If it were not for Orion, I do not know what I would have done. Orion International is awesome, and I will be sure to recommend Orion to all of my friends."
~ Robert Brown, Allied Waste, Operations Manager

"My last day in the Navy was April 30, 2007, but I started seriously looking for jobs in December 2006. I knew of Orion International through mailings I received since being stationed on the USS Michigan as a division officer (2002-5), and I was given Stephanie Moser's name by a fellow submariner. Stephanie was great. I think I may have been a challenging candidate because of my background. My pay, location, and job type requirements were demanding, and I needed a job in a place where my wife could continue her career. Stephanie never put limitations on my career search and was always very understanding. She always listened to me and met my needs.

I attended the Philadelphia conference, and while I didn't accept a job from it, I did do a couple of follow-up interviews that helped prepare me for when the right job came along. I then attended the Chicago conference where I worked with Todd Phillips. While at the Chicago conference, I got two leads for site interviews from companies not at the conference. Dan Young told me that AAR liked my resume and sent me straight over to their office before my flight out. I then interviewed at AAR's Garden City, New York, location (near where I lived) and then had a third interview with them in Chicago. Dan was an awesome account executive. After my interview with AAR, I worked almost solely with him. He is very personable and helped me along the way. Dan even helped me to negotiate a $4,000 sign-on bonus after the initial offer from AAR was a bit smaller than I wanted.

I am now a Business Development Manager with AAR, so the interviews obviously worked out! The location is perfect because it starts in New York followed by a transfer to Chicago, which was my preferred location. There are lots of project management jobs out there, but this one deals with aerospace. I get to work on projects involving components from various aircraft on both the commercial and defense side, which makes the job much more interesting to me than a typical PM position.

Orion was hands down my favorite recruiting agency, and I worked seriously with two other major players in the business (and had brief contact with two more). Orion definitely ran the best conference out of the three. Towards the end of my job search, I thought I was going to get a job offer from a company via a lead from one of Orion's competitors. It was funny because I was really excited about the job, but disappointed that I couldn't sign through Orion! It turned out that I didn't get the offer, so I didn't need to worry about it. Then the offer from AAR came through via Orion. It sounds strange, but I was actually upset that I was going to have to sign through another agency! That's how much I enjoyed working with Orion.

The Orion people really make the difference. Everyone at Orion was casual, yet professional, and they were open to hearing all of my preferences, while trying to help set realistic expectations. There was always more of a genuine sense of a partnership between Orion and me, as well as a team spirit between different Orion members that I really noticed. Although I get along with just about everyone, I felt most comfortable with Orion. Out of the five JMO placement firms I had at least some contact with, Orion is the best!"
~ August Negele, Business Development Manager

"Orion International is clearly first-class in the JMO placement service community. Orion did a superb job of preparing me for the entire interview process from start to finish. I felt like the company always had my best interest at heart.

Each of Orion's representatives took into account my professional, personal, and geographic preferences and found positions that perfectly matched my needs. Orion did a great job of meeting my needs and making me feel important!"
~ Andy Grillos, Account Executive, SunGard Availability Services

"My recruiter, Chris Hurst, was a constant professional. Before I attended the Orion Hiring Conference, I submitted my resume for over 20 positions and received little to no responses. I was unable to get my foot in the door to conduct an interview. Orion was able to help me get that foot in the door and obtain an opportunity to interview with various businesses in the geographical location I wanted. I found that getting to the interview is the hardest step.and Orion was able to fill that gap."
~ Sean Casey, Marketing Manager, FNH USA

"Orion International is perfectly placed to understand the military career and where its attributes may be useful in corporate America. They presented me with options that I may not have recognized, even with the tons of internet research I did. Todd Phillips, my recruiter, treated me very well. He presented me with several good options at the Chicago conference, including GE Healthcare, where I now work!

Orion was able to entertain my interests, experience, background, and geographic desires. Simply put, I was extremely pleased. Thanks to Orion, I separated from the Air Force as a Captain in July knowing I had already landed a job in May! This GE job was a true homerun for me."
~ Vince Dutter, Safety and Regulatory Engineer, GE Healthcare

"I became aware of Orion in June 2006 through an email from a recruiter, so when it came time to separate from the Army in April of this year, I contacted Orion. JP Sniffen was a terrific recruiter. He did a great job of accommodating my needs while providing me with great information. It was very personalized service. When I began to seriously search for a job, I didn't really have a strong idea of what I wanted to get into. JP showed me a wide variety of positions and industries in order to expose me to what was out there. I then attended a hiring conference in San Diego, and obtained the position of Project Manager for Hitco Carbon Composites. Orion provided me with great service and no pressure. They were truly working to help me find the job that I wanted. Working with JP and Orion was a terrific experience with a great group of professionals!"
~ Young Song, Project Manager, Hitco Carbon Composites

"I first began searching for a job a year before my separation from the Air Force in May 2004. I did not, however, use Orion at the time. I came to Orion in February 2007 through a referral from a friend and started my job with St. Jude Medical the first week of May. Orion completely outdid their competition! Orion representatives were more flexible and encouraging, offered more options, and were just more fun. My recruiter, Stephanie Moser, was great! She was incredibly responsive and very insightful. Stephanie completely listened to my desires and met them to the fullest! I don't know that I can ever thank her enough for the wonderful career that she has provided me...so I just keep recommending her to more candidates! Thanks to Stephanie I am a Business Analyst at a medical device company. It is EXACTLY the type of position I was looking for. Orion completely matched my experiences with my desires. Finding a job is an incredibly stressful experience. Orion took great efforts to make the transition as smooth as possible!"
~ Sean Frohnapfel, Business Analyst, St. Jude Medical

"Two things about Orion set it apart for me. One was the conference format. Had I not been exposed to different types of positions in different industries, I think I would have accepted a job doing what I 'thought' I wanted to do and would not have been nearly as happy. Second was that I had contacted most of the major recruiting agencies prior to deployment, and Stephanie Moser was the only recruiter who made repeated contact with me over deployment. After six months of being on deployment and knowing that I had to find a job directly afterwards, I appreciated that she had kept up with me."
~ Josh Datko, Instrumentation and Control Engineer, Washington Group

"I started job searching again in April 2007 after having worked for civilian employers from 2000 to the present. Previously, I held a rank of Major in the Air Force when I separated in 2000. As part of my job search, I attended a MilitaryStars career expo in early May 2007, where I left my resume at the Orion International booth. JP Sniffen then contacted me from Orion and began to send me potential job opportunities. I attended the San Diego hiring conference and interviewed with eight potential employers. From those interviews, I was offered a couple of follow-up, on-site interviews. I then landed a position with Aero Precision, where I will be heading up the Taiwan Sales Division. This is exactly the type of job I've been looking for.a perfect match!

Compared to my past job search experience with other military recruiters, Orion International's operation was highly organized and well orchestrated. I feel I had plenty of assistance to prepare for the 'getting-to-know-you' interviews at the hiring conference. I particularly enjoyed meeting with potential employers who are open-minded and willing to discover unpolished gems hidden in the military community. I've been treated extraordinarily well by JP and the rest of the Orion staff, including Katrina Ross, Bill Miles, Jim Perdue, and Steve Hilgemann. Everyone was very professional and extremely helpful."
~ Leslie Bjornnes, Supply Chain Business Manager, Aero Precision Industries

"I was treated very well by the staff at Orion. I felt as though JP Sniffen was looking out for my best interests. I also had great support from Bill Fitzgerald and Jennifer Terrell. Thanks, Orion!"
~ Jose Martinez, Assistant Project Manager, RW Beck

"Katrina Ross and JP Sniffen were awesome! The two of them combined were the number one reason I continued to turn down the opportunities provided to me by a competitor. Katrina and JP did a great job preparing me for interviews. If people would just listen to their advice and follow their guidance, getting a job would be easy. Without a doubt, I will refer anyone and everyone that asks me about post-military employment to Orion. The bottom line is that they opened doors and taught me how to talk my way inside them."
~ David Douchkoff, Production Manager, Hartung Glass Industries

"With Orion International, I found a job I didn't know I was looking for! I began to work with Orion in January 2007. I had previously served as a Captain in the Air Force and was actively searching for a new career when Orion came onto the scene. JP Sniffen was my recruiter. He treated me with the utmost respect and listened to my needs.even when my needs were in constant flux.

I interviewed with JP on the phone in January to assess my skills, qualifications, and background. JP invited me to a number of hiring conferences, but I only ended up attending one in February being held in Seattle, which was closest to my home. To prepare, I participated in the pre-conference call to find out about interview techniques and conference participants. This was followed by the conference. At the conference, Kmart filled my criteria for a career opportunity, so I interviewed with them. JP followed up with me after the conference to tell me how my interview went and told me to expect a call from Kmart within the week. I kept in contact with JP throughout the interview process with Kmart to let him know of any progress and delays in the process, as well as any concerns I had throughout the process. Once I received the offer letter, I let JP know of the success that Orion had facilitated with Kmart.

I am currently a Store Coach (Manager) in Training with great prospects of being a Store Coach within six months, if not sooner. I am very excited about the opportunity to help propel Kmart forward as it positions itself as an industry leader in the very competitive retail marketplace. I am very satisfied with the process Orion has in place for placing candidates like me. I had been looking for comparable employment to what I was doing in the military for over 15 months, and, only when I began working with Orion, was I able to secure the opportunity of a lifetime!

Orion International is a winner to me. I would recommend them to any of my friends who are contemplating a career outside of the military. Their staff was friendly and helpful in meeting my needs for meaningful employment and worked very quickly in answering my questions. If they didn't have the answer right in front of them, they worked tirelessly to get the answer within 48 hours, if not sooner. What a great organization. Thanks, Orion!"
~ Michael Linder, Store Coach in Training, Kmart

"I was an Air Force Communications and Information Officer (separated as a Captain), where I held a flight command position and various program management jobs. I left the military in 2001, so I could return to Europe and work as a defense contractor. In April 2007, I began searching for jobs when I decided I wanted a change from defense contracting and wanted to return to the U.S.

I learned about Orion International through a good friend who successfully landed a job out of the Dallas hiring conference in March 2007. Stephanie Moser was my recruiter. She treated me very professionally and like an adult. I was very impressed with how closely I was matched with the industries I expressed interest in prior to the conference.

I attended the Baltimore Distinguished Candidate Conference in May 2007, where I interviewed with seven different companies during the interview day. I then worked with the Account Executives and companies to schedule three final interviews. Ultimately, I received an offer from MPR Associates, Inc. I will hold an engineering/technical project management position with MPR. This is the exact job I was looking for. MPR Associates was my #1 pick all along. I really wanted the opportunity to work in the energy sector, and MPR has a large presence in that area.

Getting a job from overseas is extremely challenging. Utilizing Orion's network of great companies and jobs was the right way to go for my family and me. Overall, the Orion experience met or exceeded all my expectations by helping me to land a great job and start a rewarding career."
~ Bruce Hunt, Project Engineer, MPR Associates

"All the Orion International members I worked with treated me with respect and were very professional. I first began corresponding with Katrina Ross in December 2006. We both agreed that I should attend the June 3-5, 2007, Hiring Conference in San Diego. Kandi Sisson followed up several times as the conference date approached. These preparations were very valuable as they greatly increased my ability to effectively interview.

Although not a recruiter, Jennifer Terrell was instrumental in me getting an opportunity to interview for the meteorology position at enXco. Jennifer handles the account with enXco and was aware the company was looking for a meteorologist. When Jennifer learned I had been a Navy meteorologist the last 12 years, she encouraged me to interview with enXco. EnXco's human resources representative was coming down the next day to interview for "operational" positions only. Jennifer worked to quickly set up a special interview for the meteorology position. I cannot say how much I appreciate her efforts.

About a week prior to the Hiring Conference, JP gave valuable interviewing training through his web-based presentation. Before the conference, I was given a list of potential companies with which JP felt I was best matched and was presented with detailed information about each company. I felt confident going into my interviews thanks to the company briefings and interview training given by JP and his team.

The companies with which JP presented me were all good companies; however, the company that ended up hiring me wasn't on this list. This was because of Jennifer's astuteness in connecting me with enXco. I will be the meteorologist at enXco, a quickly growing company in the evolving field of creating electricity from renewable energy sources.

I would encourage anyone leaving the service to use Orion. At first, I was skeptical that my next career would actually come from a recruiter. However, I really liked Orion. The Orion process is not just an opportunity to get a job; it is also a valuable education experience. The Hiring Conferences permit multiple interviews to occur in a short 2-3 day process. If for some reason a job is not obtained through Orion, the education and advice obtained from going through a number of interviews in a short time period will be valuable in future job searches.

The ability of Orion members to identify unique matches, quickly move and adapt was demonstrated in my situation. The effort the Orion team is willing to go in making a good match that fits, not just a match to get a check in the box, says volumes about how serious this company is about helping military personnel make a successful transition to the civilian sector."
~ Alex Cantu, Meteorologist, enXco