Project Engineer

West
US Navy, O-5

Since I am still on active duty and in a demanding position, I found I did not have the time to focus on finding a job. Orion International helped out by providing guidance and support in developing a competitive resume and, more importantly, the network contacts to get my resume in front of the right companies for the right positions. I am presently a Surface Warfare Officer and a Commander in the Navy and am assigned as the Executive Officer of the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Unit at the University of Idaho.

I am approved for retirement on October 1, 2008, but begin terminal leave on July 1. Since civilian companies usually like to hire someone no more than 90 days out, I attended my first hiring conference in April in San Diego. That is probably when I really started looking for a job, although the process and preparation to get to that point took much longer. I began updating my resume after my Transition Assistance Program Class in October 2007, which was also when I learned of Orion.

Bill Fitzgerald in the San Diego office was my Orion recruiter. He was amazing in helping me with the whole process. Bill was very familiar with my qualifications, and he took the time to understand where I was in my life and the kind of job positions I would be interested in. Bill worked with me to develop a resume that highlighted my unique qualifications and skill sets developed during my naval career. We kept in contact about once per month as I worked on my resume, until we got closer to my first hiring conference in April.

Once Bill and the Orion team approved of my resume, I was set up to attend the hiring conference in San Diego. Working with Bill, I developed a couple of tailored resumes to assist in gaining interviews with a couple of companies. Orion also helped with a preparatory online session prior to the conference. At the conference, I was scheduled for interviews with four companies and received call-backs from two. I attended a second conference in Dallas, Texas, two weeks later, with similar results. I visited two companies for second interviews the following week and accepted an offer from ConocoPhillips.

I will be the Standardization Engineer with ConocoPhillips Pipe Line Company. The position draws upon all the skills I developed in the Navy, particularly my leadership and coordination of functional teams, as well as my analytical and engineering background. The position is exactly what I was looking for – an exciting opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a company that offers me challenging work with growth opportunities for the future. This job is one where my abilities will be appreciated and have an immediate, positive impact.

Orion was great to work with. I felt that Bill was on my team, because he listened to my concerns and matched me to the positions and companies that were available. It was a positive experience. I have recommended Orion to my friends and co-workers to help them transition from the military to the civilian job market.