Field Electronic Technician

West
US Navy, E-5

I had been in the Navy for over eight years when I finished active duty in March 2008 and began job hunting around late January/early February. I heard about Orion International from co-workers and prior servicemen who had found employment through Orion and had good experiences doing so. When Jim Lewis came and visited Sub Base Point Loma to discuss what Orion had to offer to those of us getting out of the military, I thought he was very friendly and well-prepared to answer all the questions I had about seeking employment.

The transition from service life and civilian life is scary, to say the least, but Jim was patient and understood my trepidation. We worked together to secure the interview that would ultimately lead to my employment. And never once did I feel like my concerns were not being addressed or that we were going in a direction that I had no desire to travel.

Jim and I planned that I would attend a March hiring conference in Seattle with the hopes that I would find some potential employers there. Before that, however, Jim and I discussed conducting a phone interview with a representative from a local company out of Renton, Washington. The phone interview led to a personal one, where I was hired by ATS Automation, a full week before the hiring conference I was supposed to attend.

Jim and I spoke frequently during the weeks leading up to me being hired. I went into that interview so prepared that when it was all over, I had the salary offer in my hand and a month to think it over... I needed about five minutes to decide! Jim wished me the best of luck in my new job.

My official title at ATS is Field Electronic Technician. I engineer, build, and run start-ups on heating and lighting controls for new construction projects. The field is cutting edge, and the market is on the rise. I couldn't have asked for a better place to work.

While this was all taking place I was working with another employment agency that were working towards landing me an interview with another building control manufacturer and installer. To put it bluntly, the other agency left me hanging. The phone interview that was "scheduled" never happened.

In hindsight, I'm glad it didn’t, because, otherwise, I might not have worked as closely with Jim, who never once left me out to dry. In fact, it was Jim who spurred me along at times when I felt overwhelmed or inadequate. I've recommended Orion to other service members considering the move to a civilian career, and I know that in doing so, I'm helping them secure a successful transition.