Military Officer Transition Timeline
Welcome to Orion's Military Officer Transition Program
Our Transition Program is designed to provide you with a list of items that you should complete prior to beginning interviews, to ensure maximum success in your career search. You will ideally begin working through this list well in advance of your transition.
However, we realize you may join us much later, or operational commitments may keep you from following this timeline exactly, and that is completely fine. Just pick up with the suggested activity for the month that reflects where you are in relation to your transition, and try to work back through the other months as you are able.
Start Here
Download Your Transition Checklist
You'll want to save this checklist on your computer, or print a copy. You will use it throughout the program to keep track of your progress.
13 Months Prior to Your Transition
- Visit Orion's Transition Corner to learn about the transition process from the perspective of fellow veterans who share their experiences with all aspects of the process from finances, to logistics, to challenges faced when starting a civilian career. Also, check out our Job Seeker Testimonials page to read about hundreds of Orion Alumni and their transition and experience finding a civilian career through Orion.
- Download and read our Military Transition Guide.
12 Months Prior to Your Transition
- Speak with your Orion Recruiter to recap your transition timeline and set a plan for follow up. Ensure that you have developed your various social media profiles so that you can network and stay connected with the Orion Team.
- Connect with Orion on:
11 Months Prior to Your Transition
- Download and read the 1st section of our Military Officer Transition Guide - Beginning the Transition. Learn about Orion and our process, a recommended transition timeline and four of the most common career fields we have seen Officers excel in within the private sector.
10 Months Prior to Your Transition
- Check out our list of suggested books for Professional Reading, and begin to expose yourself to civilian leadership, and industry trends. We encourage you to read a book on sales - it will help you as you prepare to "sell" yourself during interviews and may open your eyes to another exciting career path to consider.
9 Months Prior to Your Transition
- View our pre-recorded Resume Writing Webinar, which covers all of the basics of resume writing - why a resume is so important, what you should and should not include, how to write a resume that is easily understood by a civilian hiring manager, and much more.
- Speak with your Orion Recruiter about your resume draft, and to update our team on your transition plan.
- Download and read the Military Transition Guide - Resume Preparation.
8 Months Prior to Your Transition
- Download and read Military Transition Guide - Introduction to Interviewing, Researching Your Background & Detailed Interview Preparation. After reading, work through the sample questions to apply what you have learned.
- Listen to this podcast on Preparing for the Interview Process
7 Months Prior to Your Transition
- View our pre-recorded Interview Preparation Webinar, which will cover all the basics of Interview Preparation - how and what you should prepare, do's and don'ts during any interview, practical assignments to help guide you, and much more.
6 Months Prior to Your Transition
- View our Sales Overview and Preparation Webinar which will provide you with an understanding of why sales can be a great starting point in the private sector, help you determine if sales is a good option for you, and give great pointers to winning a sales interview.
- Speak with your Orion Recruiter about the potential of a career in Sales. Additionally, finalize your transition plan with our team, including final resume review, interview preparation plan, and conference plan. At this time, your recruiter will also audit your file to ensure that your administrative items, listed below, are on file.
- Download and read Military Officer Career Preparation: Management and Sales. Prepare answers for the sample questions and begin assembling your 'brag book' if you will be interviewing for sales positions.
5 Months Prior to Your Transition
- Prepare to attend a hiring conference. Listen to our podcast Attending an Orion Hiring Conference and become an expert on the STAR format which you will use during interviews.
4 Months Prior to Your Transition
- Download and read Military Transition Guide - The Final Stages of the Hiring Process. Keep working on your interview preparation and be sure to listen to the Frequently Asked Questions Podcasts to get advice on how to handle many of the questions you can expect to get
- At this point, you will likely be in contact with additional recruiters at Orion, preparing for a Hiring Conference and getting ready to start interviewing actively.
Continue to the next topic: Important Documents
