The Sword - May 2015

Honoring Our Veterans During National Military Appreciation Month

The beginning of May marks the start of National Military Appreciation Month (NMAM). Designated by Congress in 1999, NMAM is time to learn more about the history of our Armed Forces, as well as recognize those who have served. The month of recognition includes Loyalty Day (May 1), VE Day (May 8th), Military Spouse Appreciation Day (May 8th), Armed Forces Day (May 16th), and Memorial Day (May 25th).

There are many events taking place throughout the month across the nation in recognition of NMAM. Click here to find a list by state.

And if you are looking for other ways to thank a veteran, consider a simple “thank you”, lending a military spouse a hand during their spouse’s deployment, or offering military discounts if you are a business owner.

Please join us this month as we honor all military personnel and their family!

Distinguished Military Technician Conference - July 13 - 14 in Jacksonville, FL

Upcoming Hiring Conferences

Meet Our Candidates

National Distinguished Candidate Conference

Mark your calendar for our upcoming National Distinguished Candidate Conference:

San Diego, CA
June 8-9, 2015

Since 1991, our clients have told us that the most important factor in deciding to hire military through an agency is the Quality of Candidate. Our unique Distinguished Candidate Conference is designed to recruit, assess, screen, and present the top military candidates for your hiring needs. In 2014, nearly 100 client companies strategically hired Orion’s Military Officers through our Distinguished Candidate Conferences, with over 40% making multiple hires.

Orion’s Distinguished Candidates are carefully selected and represent the very top tier of Military Officers transitioning from Active Duty. They are seeking careers in growth roles including Leadership Development, Operations Management, Engineering, and Sales.

Our Junior Military Officer Candidates at these National Events:

• Service Academy Graduates and graduates of the nation’s top universities.
• Candidates with MBAs and other advanced degrees; and those with PMPs, PEs, and other professional certifications.
• Candidates who have consistently ranked well above their peers in their professional military evaluations.
• Willing to relocate and geographically flexible.

Distinguished Candidate Conference Highlights:

• This event will feature 30 minute Client Presentations in which you can present to the candidates you’ll be interviewing in advance. We recommend a C-level or VP Presenter for client presentations.
• Enjoy an additional opportunity for socializing with the candidates and other Hiring Managers, at our President’s Reception following the Keynote Address on Monday evening.
• Pre-screened, assessed, qualified Officer Candidates suitably matched for your particular hiring needs.
• A private and professional interview setting.
• Personalized attention to ensure the best in customer service, including insight on the candidates and advice on the most effective hiring strategy.

In addition, Orion’s Executive Leadership Team will be available throughout the event to meet and discuss your company’s talent planning and how our dedicated on-boarding programs, assessment tools, and other enterprise-scale service offerings may be able to support your organization in 2015 and beyond.

What do our clients have to say about the caliber of candidates at an Orion Distinguished Candidate Conference?

"Our experience at Orion's Distinguished Candidate Conference was a great success. The candidates were of the highest caliber and extremely well matched for our Leadership Development Program. This event enabled us to hire 5 outstanding JMOs very efficiently, saving weeks of time. I look forward to seeing the impact these new leaders will have on BP." - Program Manager, BP

The Distinguished Candidate Conference enables you to develop a strong pipeline of future leaders and foster strategic organizational growth.

Learn more about our Distinguished Candidate Conferences and discover for yourself the impact a Military Officer can have on your organization.

Veteran Spotlight: John Wittig

The Sword recently sat down with John Wittig, a former Navy Nuclear Instructor, whom Orion recently matched with a career at Cytec, a specialty chemicals and materials technology company.

John received his B.S. in Math and Physics from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH, and then went on to earn his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Cincinnati. After completing his Ph.D., he joined the Navy as an Officer to train Naval Nuclear Operators in safe operations of naval nuclear reactors and emergency procedures and analysis in Charleston, SC, at the Navy Nuclear Power Training Command (NNPTC). 

Near the end of John’s tour of duty, he attended a Distinguished Candidate Conference in Baltimore, MD, hosted by Orion International. At the conference John met Cytec’s Cluster 2 Manufacturing Director, a former Navy Nuclear Officer himself, which would later steer John down the path to employment.  “It was through the amazing guidance provided by the entire Orion team that I had the confidence to be myself and present the best version of my abilities during the interview,” John states.

After the Distinguished Candidate Conference, John was offered a site visit to meet the Site Manager and Quality Manager. From there, John was offered the position of Quality Engineer, which he readily accepted.

Just six weeks into his new position, John was offered the role of Labor Strike Contingency Manager. “I had learned from Orion that you should never turn down a work assignment, and so I accepted the offer immediately,” he states.

John was tasked with performing all safety related investigations presenting findings and corrective actions to site and union leadership. He was rewarded with the Power of One operations leadership team recognition for his ability to diffuse very tense situations through keeping a cool head and allowing data and facts to drive outcomes versus emotions.

After the labor union contract was ratified, John was offered a position as a Production Area Leader for a relatively small business unit.  He had held this position for three weeks when both the site and operations managers left for an executive leadership team meeting in mid-March 2014. Showing great leadership, John stepped in and ran the site. He managed to run the largest business unit, quickly putting together a two-part plan to focus resources on tackling the major engineering issues Cytec faced, as well as building a bridge to re-engage and re-energize the labor force.

John is proud to report that as of February 2015, the site has experienced six consecutive months of a greater than 90% delivery performance and the first month in recorded site history when they have been able to beat the labor cost budget.  It was because of his leadership and success that John was offered the position of FengXian (Shanghai, China) Plant Manager.

For John, the most rewarding aspect of his career is the team that he has built around him to support his vision. “The business unit is far too complicated for one person to do everything. My success could only be achieved by having the right people in the correct roles that trust me and are willing to follow me through a very difficult time,” John explains.

John attributes his success to the time he spent as a leader in the military. “I learned many valuable lessons about leading people and how to build relationships with people that are completely different from you, which was essential to my success,” he states.

To learn more about how your company can recruit talented veteran candidates for your open positions, please click here.

Refer a Colleague to Hire Military Talent

Is your company or that of a friend or colleague in need of military talent? For every referral you provide, you will be automatically entered into our monthly drawing for a $50 gift card. Even better, if your referral results in a hire, you will personally receive a $100 gift card as our way of saying thank you. As always, we will maintain your privacy and never share your information nor that of your referral.

Click here to refer a colleague to hire military talent now!

Connect with Orion

Did you know that there are several ways to connect with Orion and learn how veterans impact the civilian workforce?

• You can join our LinkedIn group for employers, Hire a Hero, Hire a Vet®. This group is a great way to show your support of veterans in the civilian workforce. In addition, we have recently launched the Hire a Hero, Hire a Vet® for Veterans subgroup for all Veteran members who are interested in networking and learning about career opportunities.

• Read our blog, Hire a Hero, Hire a Vet®. This blog covers everything from veterans in the news to general employer-employee relations. Check it out!

• You can follow Orion on Twitter (@hirevets) to receive updates about Orion, learn about upcoming hiring events, and find links to articles of interest.

• Orion is now on Google+! Follow us to keep up to date on all things Orion.