Maintenance Manager

Midwest
US Air Force, E-7

I took 20 days of permissive TDY and 80 days of terminal leave.  I gave myself extra time to find a job I'd like and having the flexibility to travel when I needed to made a huge difference, especially on short notice interviews.  This position was a short notice opening and quick fill. The flexibility to go where I needed to, when I wanted to helped me greatly.  

I was extremely fortunate to be accepted into Michigan Seamless Tube with about 50 days of terminal leave left. I have absolutely enjoyed my first month here.  This is one of those companies that could be considered a dream job for me.  

Dan Clevenger was my recruiter, and he was awesome. He pushed me toward the areas that he felt were optimum for my skill sets.  He never pressured and always gave me the flexibility to say “no”.  I interviewed with five companies at an Orion Hiring Conference in December, which was extremely demanding. It’s hard going up for a board in the military, and I thought this was tougher!  Learn from each interview.  Each interview I did helped me with the next.  

Having a strong resume will definitely help people get in the door, but what you do once you’re inside the room is completely on each person.  You and your resume have to match.  As I’ve been involved with some of the interviews we’ve conducted here in MST, I’ve seen that many people are extremely vague or their resumes or sometimes don’t make sense.  Details count!  Many of my resume bullets were a direct translation from military EPR bullet format to civilian bullet format.  

The other thing I recommend to other veterans is to be completely honest during the interview process.  There were questions that I was asked that I didn’t know the answer to, and I answered as such.  Integrity first!!  Saying you know something when you don’t is not a smart idea.  On the other hand though, programs that we use in the military that can be compared to civilian programs should be brought up, as it shows you are familiar with the process in the least.  (i.e AF Civil Engineering Bill Of Material/Supply programs are similar to civilian purchase orders used here; safety programs are extremely similar; familiarity with OSHA/NFPA/NEC are applicable).  

The position I now hold is as the Maintenance Manager at Michigan Seamless Tube.  I was a Master Sergeant in the Air Force, and the organizational skills, leadership experience, technical knowledge, drive, and wide spectrum of experiences I was fortunate enough to the learn in the military were some of the factors my employer was looking for.  My career field and my supervisory experiences played a great role also.  The ability to adapt to a new environment is extremely important!

The parallels between my military and civilian careers are huge.  Working with a civilian team is very similar to working with a military team.  You have to become part of the team before you can lead it.  Having the tool box of different leadership styles is paramount.  Learning your people is an absolute necessity. It's the same in both worlds.  Handling the stress of unexpected events is a skill set that most military members develop quickly in their first few years... being able to use them well is paramount!  

Without Orion, I'd have never gotten to where I am now. They made my job-hunting process extremely painless compared to the stories I’ve hear of some of my colleagues’ experiences.  The staff kept in touch with me and kept in touch with my potential employers.  Orion is the company I’ve recommended to my friends who are separating.