The Hunter - May 2020
Friday, May 1, 2020
In this Issue
Virtually Interview through Orion Talent
Virtual Interview Tips and Tricks
Military Officers Connect with Civilian Careers at Orion’s Distinguished Candidate Conferences
Exclusive Opportunities Through Orion
Video Series: Minute with Mike
Podcast Series for Job Seekers
Career Transition Planning and Base Visits
Earn $100 for Every Referral that Finds their Career through Orion
Virtually Interview through Orion Talent
In addition to meeting social distancing recommendations, virtual interviews are becoming a preferred method of interview due to ease of scheduling and budget friendliness for both the job seeker and employer. The goal of an in-person or virtual interview is the same - you want to make a lasting impression that gets you to the next round of interviews.
An Orion virtual interview is your chance to interview with hiring managers for positions across the U.S. that are a match with your background, skills, and preferences. All you need is a good internet connection and a virtual interviewing platform of the company’s choosing to interview for your next career from anywhere in the country without the need to travel.
We have put together a list of resources to help you successfully navigate a virtual interview. Check out our extensive list of tips for conducting a great virtual interview, covering everything from Technology, Location, and Interaction, to Attire and How to Overcome Potential Obstacles. Following these tips should lead to a successful virtual interview, and help you avoid any embarrassing situations! Download a PDF of our virtual interview tips.
In addition, listen to our podcast for more advice and tips on how to ace your virtual interview:
Are you ready to participate in a virtual interview to find your next career? See below for our upcoming virtual hiring conferences, and request more information:
April 20 - 21 - Atlanta, GA (Military Technicians)
April 22 - 24 - Atlanta, GA (Distinguished Candidate Conference)
Virtual Interview Tips and Tricks
During this time of social distancing, virtual interviews are becoming the preferred method of interviewing for both employers and job seekers. A convenient way to interview with hiring managers from anywhere in the country, without the need to travel, virtual interviews save time, money and provide a more personal interview experience when an in-person interview is not an option.
Navigating how to successfully interview with a prospective employer using a virtual platform may be a challenge for some job seekers. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a few tips and tricks to help your virtual interview run as smoothly as possible. Follow these guidelines below, and your virtual interview will be a success!
Before the interview:
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Ensure your internet connection is stable.
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Load any software necessary at least 24 hours before your interview.
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Test your computer's webcam, audio, and microphone at least 24 hours before your interview.
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Remember to turn your phone's ringer off.
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Close any unnecessary web browser tabs and applications so that you are not distracted.
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Find a quiet, private, well-lit place, free from possible interruptions.
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Position your webcam so that you have a neutral background that is free from distraction.
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Let your family or co-workers know that you are interviewing, and ensure pets are taken care of so that there are not any embarrassing interruptions.
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Have a pen, notepad, and a copy of your resume on your desk.
During the interview:
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Ensure that the camera is at roughly the same level as your face.
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You want to look into the camera when you speak, not at the interviewer, since they will see you looking at them on their end. You do not want it to look like you are looking away, up, or down.
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When listening, nod and smile to show you are engaged. Remember, you need to take this opportunity to connect with the interview, even though you are not meeting face-to-face.
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Dress the same way that you would if you were meeting the interviewer face-to-face. The default attire should be suit and tie, unless the recruiting team tells you otherwise.
Overcoming challenges that arise when interviewing:
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Before the interview, ask the interviewer for a phone number where you can reach them if you experience technical difficulties. If the video cuts out, call them at that number. Ask if you can continue the interview by phone or if you can reschedule.
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If noises (sirens, construction, etc.) interrupt your video interview, apologize for the interruption and ask for a few moments until the noise has subsided. You may want to mute the microphone if the noise is severe.
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Remember the viral video of “BBC Dad”? If family members, housemates, or pets enter the room while you're interviewing, apologize to the interviewer, ask for a few moments, mute your microphone and turn off your camera, and then step away to deal with the interruption. Make sure the room is secure before beginning the interview again.
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As with any job interview, you should conclude by thanking the interviewer for their time. Send a follow-up thank you email later that day (or next day if your interview was in the evening). This message may help build a stronger connection with your potential employer and help you progress to the next step.
In addition, watch Orion Recruiter and Training Program Manager Mike Wood offer some practical virtual interview tips in the video below:
View a comprehensive list of virtual interview resources here, and download a PDF of our virtual interview tips to have on hand when navigating your own virtual interview.
Careers with FirstEnergy
Orion has partnered with FirstEnergy to offer rewarding and exciting career opportunities for veterans and transitioning military members in the electric utility industry.
Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, FirstEnergy includes one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a generating fleet with a total capacity of more than 5,000 megawatts.
FirstEnergy’s 10 regulated distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, based on serving 6 million customers in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Stretching from the Ohio-Indiana border to the New Jersey shore, the companies operate a vast infrastructure of more than 269,000 miles of distribution lines and are dedicated to providing customers with safe, reliable and responsive service.
Recognized by G.I. Jobs magazine as a military-friendly employer, FirstEnergy proudly employs more than 1,400 past and present service members of the United States’ armed forces, and is seeking transitioning military members and veterans for its Power Systems Institute.
PSI is a unique, two-year program that combines classroom learning with the hands-on training needed to open the door to opportunities in the electric industry.
Students who successfully complete the program earn an associate degree in Applied Science, Electric Utility Technology. Students with the right grades, skills and attitude will have the potential to be hired upon graduation by FirstEnergy as a line worker or substation electrician.
Learn more about a career with FirstEnergy, and apply to be considered for the PSI program.
Military Officers Connect with Civilian Careers at Orion’s Distinguished Candidate Conferences
Distinguished candidates include graduates of Military Service Academies or Top Universities, those with an advanced education, and those that have consistently ranked above their peers in Officer Evaluations.
Our DCCs offer a unique format, designed to maximize our candidates’ chances of receiving a job offer, consisting of interview preparation, briefings by the interviewing companies, and a President's Reception to network with hiring managers and other candidates, culminating in interviews the next day.
You can view a complete guide to our DCCs in this video featuring Orion Regional Recruiting Manager Mike Wood:
The feedback from candidates attending our DCCs is consistent every year, with veterans saying it is by far the best way to find their next career.
In 2019, nearly 200 Military Officers found their civilian careers through our Distinguished Candidate Conferences, with companies including Corning, Honeywell, Ingersoll Rand, Siemens, and many others. See below for our upcoming DCC schedule:
Exclusive Opportunities Through Orion
Video Series: Minute with Mike
Check out our weekly video series, Minute with Mike! This week, Recruiting Manager Mike Wood offers tips on virtual interviewing. Watch the video below, and keep an eye out on social media for the weekly editions!
According to Your Peers
Career Success with Orion
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Podcast Series for Job Seekers
Have you tuned in to From the Battlefield to the Boardroom, our podcast series dedicated to supporting military job seekers? We have a variety of episodes covering everything from the civilian transition process to valuable insights and guidance from other Veterans and business leaders.
We've recently added new podcasts, including:
117. An Inside Look at Franchise Ownership with JDog
116. Jumpstart Your Career Search with an Orion Hiring Conference
115. Navy Veteran's Career Progression From Entry-Level to Supervisor
114. Navy Nuke Finds Success in the Data Center Industry
113. Financially Preparing for Your Transition, Ft. Ryan Guina (The Military Wallet)
If you are ready to enter the interview process, visit our Interview Essentials page to sharpen your interview skills!
Visit us online to listen to all the episodes, and explore our new podcast categories on each stage of the transition process. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast platform or RSS feed, to automatically receive new episodes as they are released.
We'd love to feature your questions in our upcoming episodes. If you have any questions you'd like to hear us answer, click below to email us!
Upcoming Hiring Conferences
Orion Talent is closely monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and continues to observe and comply with CDC recommendations. Orion management is meeting regularly to review the conditions inside the US to determine the risk level to Orion's employees, candidates, and clients, whose safety is our utmost priority.
We realize there is a great deal of uncertainty surrounding what's to come with this COVID-19 strain of the coronavirus. With that said, we are currently evaluating our Hiring Conference schedule and will make adjustments as needed for the safety of all attendees.
EVENT UPDATES:
- The San Diego, CA event will now be virtual on Monday, April 20, 2020.
- The Atlanta, GA event for Military Technicians will now be virtual on Monday, April 20, 2020 and Tuesday, April 21, 2020.
- The Atlanta, GA Distinguished Candidate Conference will now be virtual on Wednesday, April 22, 2020 through Friday, April 24, 2020.
- The Dallas, TX event will now be virtual on Sunday, May 3, 2020 through Monday, May 4, 2020.
- The Seattle, WA event will now be virtual on Wednesday, May 6, 2020 through Friday, May 8, 2020.
- The Columbia, SC event will now be virtual on Monday, May 13, 2020 and Tuesday, May 14, 2020.
- The Chicago, IL event will now be virtual on Sunday, May 17, 2020 and Monday, May 18, 2020.
- The Houston, TX event will now be virtual on Sunday, May 17, 2020 and Monday, May 18, 2020.
- The Philadelphia, PA event for Military Technicians will now be virtual on Monday, May 11, 2020 through Wednesday, May 15, 2020.
- The Philadelphia, PA Distinguished Candidate Conference will now be virtual on Monday, May 18, 2020 through Friday, May 22, 2020.
Northeast
Please contact Amy West, 757-998-8520, for more information.
Please contact Chris Hurst, 757-998-8524, for more information.
Midwest
Please contact Dan Young, 513-644-3355, for more information.
South Central
Officers please contact Bob Berkholz, 737-209-3362, for more information; Enlisted candidates please contact Miles Sheahan, 737-209-3367, for more information.
Please contact Matt White, 737-209-3377, for more information.
Southeast
Please contact Mike Block, 984-208-3981, for more information.
Please contact Chris Hurst, 757-998-8524, for more information.
Officers please contact Mike Wood, 984-208-3986, for more information; Enlisted candidates please contact Mike Block, 984-208-3981, for more information.
Western
Please contact Jay Koranda, 858-267-4233, for more information.
Please contact Jay Koranda, 858-267-4233, for more information.
Career Transition Planning and Base Visits
When our Recruiters visit a location near you, it's a chance to get a jump start on your career search, regardless of your ETS date. Our Recruiters will discuss your goals and preferences with you and present a realistic picture of what to expect in your search. You'll get resume advice, interview preparation tips, and much more! Please send an email to the Regional Recruiter listed for the base visit in which you are interested.
South Central
For all base visits in the South Central U.S., contact Bob Berkholz for more information.
Fort Polk & Barksdale AFB (Virtual) - May 7
Fort Hood (Virtual) - May 7
Fort Sill (Virtual) - May 14
Earn $100 for Every Referral that Finds their Career through Orion
Did you know that Orion candidates earned $22,500 in referral bonuses in the first three quarters of 2019?
For every job seeker you refer to us who is subsequently hired through Orion, you'll receive a $100 gift card to a retailer of your choice after they reach 90 days on the new job!
It's simple - just click here to refer a friend. 30 seconds of your time could be $100 in your pocket!
Companies Recently Hiring
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Siemens Lam Research Corporation Qorvo - Triquint Semiconductor Incorporated ThyssenKrupp Elevator SMA America FTC Solar KLA Bell & Howell LLC |
Hines Interests Saber Power Services Lineage Logistics Holdings TGS Management Company LLC Rise Residential Procurement Advisors Hensel Phelps Construction Company Stryker Communications and Imaging |
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