The Hunter - July 2020
Wednesday, July 1, 2020
In this Issue
How to Job Search During a Pandemic
An Inside Look at Franchise Ownership with JDog [PODCAST]
Candidate Spotlight: Robert Fogg
Military Officers Connect with Civilian Careers at Orion’s Distinguished Candidate Conferences
Exclusive Opportunities Through Orion
Podcast Series for Job Seekers
Earn $100 for Every Referral that Finds their Career through Orion
How to Job Search During a Pandemic
For transitioning veterans or veterans looking for a new career, right now may seem like the worst time to be on the job hunt. Due to the public health emergency of COVID-19, unemployment numbers are staggeringly high, and for many areas of the country, the “new normal” seems like a long way away.
As a result, you may feel the need to pause your job search until the economy returns to a more normal pace. However, keep in mind that there are many industries that are still hiring and desperately need a robust workforce at this time, including tech support, distribution and supply chain, and of course healthcare. If you act now, you will be ahead of your peers who are also looking for a career.
Here are some action items that you can be doing now to help position you for a career once companies are ready to start ramping up their hiring needs.
Take time to evaluate
With social distancing mandates and stay at home orders in effect for many states, many are finding themselves with extra time. If you do not have other obligations, use this time to really dig deep on the type of role and even the type of industry that you want in your next career. Your Recruiter will be a huge asset in helping you determine what roles would be the best fit for you. If you haven’t already done so, register on our site to get started speaking with a Recruiter today.
There are also plenty of books that can help give direction to your career search. Use this time to read one or two books on topics such as leadership and management, manufacturing and engineering, and sales. We’ve put together a suggested reading list to help you get started.
Network
Now is the perfect time to start networking, and LinkedIn is the premier resource. LinkedIn is the most powerful social network for building your personal brand and growing your network. If you haven’t yet created an account, use this time as the perfect opportunity to get started, or polish up your profile. LinkedIn offers a one year subscription to LinkedIn Premium for transitioning military and veterans to help with your career search. In addition, listen to our podcast on how to leverage LinkedIn in your job search.
Practice your job search skills
Start working on all aspects of the job search process, from your resume to interview preparation and beyond. Fine tune your resume, brush up on your interview skills, and familiarize yourself with additional transition preparation. We have created an interactive military transition resource guide to help you throughout every step of the process.
With more companies switching over to a virtual platform, check out our virtual interview preparation page, filled with podcasts, testimonials, and an extensive list of tips to help ensure your virtual interview experience is a success.
Communicate
If you are currently in the interview process, it is important to understand that companies are adjusting to a new way of tackling the hiring process. Understand that HR managers and hiring authorities are extremely busy right now to ensure that everything is continuing to run smoothly. As a result, your resume or follow-up interview may have fallen through the cracks.
Be patient, communicative, and understanding with any hiring managers that you have been in contact with. Continue to follow-up within reasonable timelines, and send thank you emails for any interviews that you may have.
Orion is here to help throughout the hiring process during this unprecedented time. Along with our robust virtual interview resources guide, we are working diligently to find rewarding careers for our transitioning military members and veterans. Register now to start working with Orion.
An Inside Look at Franchise Ownership with JDog [PODCAST]
Orion has partnered with JDog to provide exclusive franchise opportunities for honorably discharged Veterans and Military family members. The company is seeking motivated, entrepreneurial Veterans and Military family members to own and operate a franchise, backed by JDog’s proven business model and the support you need to be successful.
Terry Corkery, Director of Franchise Development, joined the podcast to discuss his career with JDog and provide an inside look at JDog’s franchise opportunities, including what makes JDog’s business model unique, a step-by-step overview of becoming a franchise owner, and why JDog franchises are “recession resistant.”
JDog’s overall mission as a company is the main reason it has such a unique space in the franchise world - to help provide veterans with a business opportunity with the goal of hiring other veterans, with the aim of lowering the veteran unemployment rate.
“JDog is the only national franchise out there that is owned and operated by veterans, for veterans and military family members,” Terry said. Terry emphasized that veterans are the perfect candidates for a franchise business. “It is an opportunity to own a business while also employing other veterans,” he stated.
In light of the current economic climate, Terry also assured listeners that a JDog franchise is “recession resistant,” due to the fact that it is considered an essential business. “JDog is in a good position right now,” he stated. “We are still operating and thrive in harder economic conditions.”
Unlike other franchise opportunities, a JDog franchise does not have the overhead or department services that a franchise in other industries may have, Terry added.
Terry also gave a detailed step-by-step overview of how to become a franchise owner with JDog, most notably JDog’s unique training and business model, called “Discovery Day.” Held once a month with a small number of interested veteran applicants, JDog uses this time to create a personal contact with the veterans who are interested in a franchise opportunity, while also giving the interested applicants a comprehensive overview of what it means to own a JDog franchise.
“We discuss advertising, support levels, marketing, corporate services, training, and more,” Terry explained. “This helps to give a well-rounded perspective on who we are, what we are, and allow for the veteran to make a decision whether or not they want to come on board,” he said.
The process of owning a franchise with JDog, from start to finish, is relatively quick. “It takes four to six weeks to start the training, website development, and obtain the trucks,” Terry said. “You can expect to be open for business with a soft opening around then, with a grand opening about three months from that date,” he explained.
Lastly, Terry emphasized the rewards of owning a JDog franchise. “You can be successful and build a business for yourself and your family, while also paying it forward to other veterans,” he stated.
Listen to the full podcast to hear Terry’s passion for franchise opportunities for veterans and military family members:
To learn more about JDog Brands, and to get started with your own franchise, visit their website and request more information.
Candidate Spotlight: Robert Fogg
We’re proud to profile Robert Fogg, a former Army Infantry Officer who found a career through Orion with John Deere as a Product Specialist back in 1997, in the early days of Orion’s founding. Robert worked his way up the corporate ladder to retire as a Corporate Business Manager with John Deere.
Impressed with Orion’s services, even as a young company, Robert recently reached out to Orion again for help with finding a more senior role in Sales or Business Development.
Robert credits his experience in the military with his success in his career with John Deere, especially his people management skills and commitment to the process. “My military experience prepared me by instilling a sense of pride in my work, it trained me how to assess situations quickly and to come up with a solution and a plan of action, how to manage, prioritize and delegate responsibilities and how to navigate the Chain of Command with respect,” he stated.
In addition, Robert believes that his military training helped him to be better equipped in the industry than his civilian counterparts. “My military training was invaluable in teaching me how to be calm and collected when facing a challenge. All too often, I have experienced someone in a leadership role panic in the face of adversity, which led to poor decisions being made. The ability to remain steady and focused on the process is what will set you apart from your peers,” Robert said.
As a seasoned veteran of Corporate America, Robert also imparted some wise advice for current transitioning military members. “Take advantage of all the services that are available to you. Many of these were not available when I transitioned out over 20 years ago,” he advised. “Start networking at least a year in advance. Know what your strengths and weaknesses are and do everything you can to address those weaknesses. Make yourself marketable by continuously learning, and pursue a job in what you are passionate about,” Robert said.
We wish Robert all the best in his next career! If you are transitioning soon or are a veteran looking for a civilian career, join Robert and the thousands of others like him who have found rewarding careers through Orion Talent. Begin your career search with Orion and register today.
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:
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
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:
121. Become Your Own Boss Through Franchise Ownership
120. Navy Veteran Climbs the Ranks at Siemens
119. Attending a Virtual Hiring Conference
118. Careers for Veterans with FTC Solar
117. An Inside Look at Franchise Ownership with JDog
116. Jumpstart Your Career Search with an Orion Hiring Conference
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
At this time, we are offering both virtual and in-person Hiring Conference events. We are currently evaluating our Hiring Conference schedule and will make adjustments as needed for the safety of all attendees.
Please contact Chris Hurst, 757-998-8524.
West
Officers please contact Jay Koranda, 858-267-4233, for more information; Enlisted candidates please contact Q Truong, 858-267-4241, for more information.
Officers please contact Jay Koranda, 858-267-4233, for more information; Enlisted candidates please contact Q Truong, 858-267-4241, for more information.
South Central
Please contact Doug Bell, 737-209-3361, for more information.
Midwest
Please contact Dan Young, 513-644-3355, for more information.
Northeast
Officers please contact Chris Hurst, 757-998-8524, for more information; Enlisted candidates please contact Amy West, 757-998-8520, for more information.
Officers please contact Chris Hurst, 757-998-8524, for more information; Enlisted candidates please contact Chris Dove, 757-998-8516, for more information.
Southeast
Please contact Sarah Rodd, (984) 208-3976, for more information.
Earn $100 for Every Referral that Finds their Career through Orion
Did you know that Orion candidates earned $294,000 in referral bonuses in 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!
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