Distinguished Candidate Conference

Candidate Testimonials

Distinguished Military Officer Hiring Conferences

"Orion alleviated my concerns about my military transition and getting in front of legitimate corporate hiring managers. Their online tools, webinars, and courseware prepared me for the corporate conversations and negotiating process in a way I wouldn't have been able to prepare going it alone.

Focusing and tailoring the candidates based on corporate needs and candidate desires ensured that I would have a positive experience. In fact, I had multiple offers and follow-on interview requests immediately following the DCC. Without Orion, I would still be in the hunt." - Ken Karcher, Project Engineer, Honeywell

"Thank you for the opportunity to attend the Distinguished Candidate Conference in Houston this week! This was a first-class event all the way. I have and will continue to recommend Orion's services to transitioning military members. The quality of the companies that Orion brings to conference, along with the professionalism of the staff, is unparalleled. The experience is amazing. I was presented with many Fortune 500 companies for interviews in fields that were in my background and some that the recruiters thought would be a good fit based on conversations that I had with them. I was more prepared for the conference than I thought I would be. This was 100% on the Orion staff." - Ryan Demastus, Sales Fellow, Novartis Pharmaceuticals

"An Orion Distinguished Candidate Conference is something that you don't want to miss. It is a golden opportunity to meet with several prospective employers all at once, all of them very high quality. And Orion prepares you well. I particularly liked the interview prep session during this conference. It helped me to tweak a few of my responses in a manner that paid major dividends during the interviews!

The best part of attending an Orion Distinguished Candidate Conference is the pre-established relationship between Orion, their candidates, and the companies. Candidates know that the companies there are looking to hire military talent, and the companies know they are getting to meet enthusiastic, hardworking men and women. After a few months of online applications, cold-calls, and polishing my LinkedIn profile, having nine interviews in a day at the DCC with companies that I knew were interested in hiring someone like me was a real eye-opener." - Shane Serafin, Project Engineer, Mortenson Construction

"The DCC was a great experience in terms of learning preparation and interview execution. Beyond an individual's research, the conference is a great forum to learn about the client companies in multiple ways--the company information sheets, the company briefs, and the availability of the company representatives (after the brief or during the social mixer).

The hiring conference is also a great opportunity to obtain interview experience, if nothing else. Without the benefit of a hiring conference, the resume has to pass through the analysis of computers and/or might get a 30-second review from an HR rep. The hiring conference eliminates those hurdles and gives the candidate an opportunity to interview with good, reputable companies. With Orion knowing what the company wants and what your desires are, as well as your particular skills, experiences, and abilities, much time is saved in the process." - Natalie Pearson, Project Manager, Architectural Graphics

"The Houston DCC was the ultimate step to getting a job. My recruiter did an excellent job keeping track of me and my needs in order to line me up correctly for the right conference. All employees I have interacted with from Orion were professional and knowledgeable.

Orion helped me with my resume, and they helped me prepare for the interviews. Orion does a great job in the weeks leading up to the conference preparing their candidates to succeed at the conference, but the candidates must do the research on the companies and be prepared to talk about their abilities." - Rick Norman, Project Engineer, Mortenson Construction

"Working with Orion Talent and attending their Distinguished Candidate Conference in Chicago was truly a great experience. When asked how the event could have been better, I honestly did not have an answer, because it was top notch all the way! Everything from the preparation to the event itself was nothing short of extraordinary. I highly recommend Orion to any JMO that is transitioning out of the military; they most certainly will not regret it!" - Andrew Lukaszewski, Sr. Financial Analyst, Caremark

"I recently attended an Orion Distinguished Candidate Conference and was very impressed with the entire process. Orion did a great job preparing me for the DCC via their webinars, modules, phone calls, and countless reading materials. They listened carefully to what I had to say, so they could customize an interview schedule that best met my goals and requirements.

Orion's hands-on approach to maximize my success did not end when the DCC started. Throughout the DCC, every member of the Orion team was willing to answer any questions I had, as well as provide advice when needed to better prepare me for my interviews. Having attended a hiring conference with a different military recruiting firm in the past; the difference is clear, and I would recommend Orion to anyone transitioning out of the military." - Gianni Limogiannis, Pharmaceutical Sales Representative, Novo Nordisk

"I feel the DCC was an amazing event and was truly surprised with the quality of companies in attendance. I believe anyone that attends these conferences will find a company that has a culture and benefits program that JMOs are looking for. As long as the JMO goes in with an open mind and is willing to do some research on the companies, they will find a company that fits their expectations." - John Helfinstine, Shift Leader, Owens Corning

"I attended the National Distinguished Candidate Conference (DCC) in Baltimore on September 10, 2013. From there, I was offered a position with International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF) the following week. The DCC was amazing. The quality of companies and positions was truly 'top-notch'. The highlight and, what I believe to be a differentiator, was the mixer held the first night of the conference. It allowed candidates a chance to get to know the hiring managers in an informal setting, so they felt more at ease when they walked into their interviews the next day.

Orion is an amazing company that was instrumental in ensuring I had a successful transition from the military to a corporate career with an amazing company. I would recommend them to anyone looking to leverage the experience they gained in the military into a rewarding corporate career. The recruiters are very experienced and can assist with any questions you may have." - Guy Ribble, Production Supervisor, International Flavors and Fragrances

"I truly enjoyed the Distinguished Candidate Conference in Houston, TX. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be able to interview with multiple Fortune 500 companies located throughout the nation. I received onsite second interviews with majority of the companies with whom I interviewed.

The Orion Talent team was very professional and prepared me well for my success at the event. I am greatly appreciative of Orion's hard work and dedication to each candidate and the event. Thank you, Orion, for helping me establish my career outside the military. The hard work your company does truly changes people's lives for the better." - Dustin Walker, Manager/Scheduler, Dow Chemical

"The Distinguished Candidate Conference I attended in Dallas was an excellent opportunity to interview with the people who would eventually be my managers. I got to do five interviews in one day! My experience was that Orion was able to put me in interviews that I would not have been able to acquire by myself. Additionally, working with Orion was instructional, and I feel that the preparatory work we did was vital to my eventual success at acquiring a position with Siemens." - James Lamz, Sales and Marketing Leadership Development Program, Siemens Energy

"Orion was very good to me. They had me participate in several mock interviews, both phone and face-to-face before I participated in a Distinguished Candidate Conference. With the Orion DCC alone, I had nine interviews and six call backs for additional interviews, four of which were on-site. One of those became my dream job! My new position is one I am proud to accept. Orion believed in me and gave me the opportunity to attain an honorable, fascinating, meaningful position with a great company." - Sara Drane, Research Engineer, AMCOL International

"When I turned to Orion, I realized that their reputation stands tall amongst the corporate sector. It was evident from the multiple high caliber companies that came to the Distinguished Candidate Conferences I attended in Baltimore and Chicago. I hope that other quality officers will see the benefits of working with a stellar placement firm like Orion." - Steven Dyer, Customer Operations Manager, Lexmark International

"I participated in two DCCs with Orion and interviewed with about 15 companies-pretty darn amazing for two days out of my life!" - Rollo Begley, Inventory Management, Schramm, Inc.

"I believe that Orion did a fabulous job in preparing me for the Distinguished Candidate Conference I attended. And there are two things that stand out the most from the DCC. First is the professional preparation and feedback given during the practice interviews with the staff and my peers. It was objective and complete. At previous hiring conferences with other recruiting organizations, the feedback was incomplete and subjective. I was never sure that the way I interviewed was professional or not. With Orion, my strengths and weaknesses were identified, and I was given tools to overcome my weaknesses.

The second is the detailed description of the positions I was interviewing for. After hearing the company briefs and the one-on-one consultation from the recruiters, I was fully aware of the benefits and responsibilities of the position I was applying for. My experience was one of the best that I have had since leaving the Marine Corps." - A.G., Well Site Leader, BP

"The Orion DCC was my first conference experience, and that is all it took! I was impressed by the time and attention I received from not only my recruiter, but others willing to coach me on interviewing before I even got to the conference. I received excellent counseling from several individuals along the way.

My recruiter got me in the door, and the account executives did a nice job of telling me what I needed to know. One account executive coached me into the job I am in now. He helped me remain focused and present myself in the best possible way. This is what led to my current employment.

While attending the conference, I learned how to translate my strengths from the military into strengths in the civilian world. I had six great interviews with six companies I genuinely would have enjoyed working for. Of those six, I got four onsite interviews and two job offers to choose from. Orion did a fabulous job setting me up for success." - W.S., Plant Supervisor, The Scotts Company

"The Orion DCC I attended was a very professional and well-organized event. All of the companies that conducted interviews were genuinely interested in the candidates, and it was great to network with other professionals. I was limited by location, so I only had two interviews; however, that was all it took, because I was hired by one of these companies and back at work in less than a month after the conference concluded. Overall, it was a very worthwhile and rewarding experience.

From the interview preparation to the open communication all throughout the process, Orion truly was top-notch. I really enjoyed the pre-conference interview preparation and online webinar/teleconference sessions with my recruiter. Throughout the preparation sessions, I really felt like my recruiter and everyone I dealt with at Orion was genuine and truly interested in me and helping me find the best job. At the time, I was using three other JMO recruiting firms, and Orion was the only one that came through." - J.B., Distribution Manager, JJ Haines and Company

"Without the May Distinguished Candidate Conference, I am certain I would have been searching for a job longer than I did. I only wish I had found Orion sooner. The DCC was organized, efficient, and maximized my time there. I had eight interviews; I couldn't really ask for much more out of one day. Working with Orion and attending a DCC was a great experience. I would definitely recommend them to my peers." - D.L., Leadership Development Program, GE Lighting

"The October Dallas Distinguished Candidate Conference was a very rewarding experience. It not only allowed me to find my current job but gave me a lot of experience with the interview process and an idea as to what companies outside of the military are looking for. The Orion staff came to the conference well prepared and knowledgeable about the companies they had there, as well as specifically what attributes those companies were looking for.

I interviewed with four companies, and, after the conference, I had three of the four companies strongly interested in me, including the company I now work for. Orion took the time to sit down with me and listen to what I wanted in a career, as well as the location that I needed for my family.

I cannot thank Orion enough for the assistance they gave me. Everyone told me that finding a career in today's market was going to be a long battle, but, thanks to Orion, I was in a new career before I even ended terminal leave from the Army. Thank you again." - T.H., Program Manager, Oshkosh Corporation