The Sword - February 2016

Monday, February 1, 2016

Not Sure Where to Start with Military Hiring?

Hiring veterans is a smart move and companies like Siemens, Honeywell, SpaceX, and Honda are growing the number of veterans in their ranks, while increasing their bottom lines with Military Talent Programs. If you are a non-military Hiring Manager or HR professional seeking to hire military for the first time, it can be a challenge deciding where to begin. 

Your military recruiting methods need to be targeted and appropriate. Here are a few tips when hiring Veterans to make the process as smooth and productive as possible:    

1. Understand Basic Military Culture: Educate yourself about the military. Understand military candidates and their unique experiences and training.  It’s hard to know if a veteran will fit into your company unless you understand the mindset of a Veteran and the value that he or she will bring to your company. 

2. Learn More About Military Candidates: When posting positions within your company, review the required skills and consider using language that aligns well with military skill sets. Understand distinctions and describe the military roles that translate well for your job openings. Help translate their military experience to civilian job requirements. 

3. Understand Military Language: If you don’t understand how to translate military experience, you may lose qualified veteran candidates. Job descriptions are one of the main ways that candidates decide if they are a fit for the job, but candidates need to understand them. If you’re interested in attracting veterans, you can even incorporate specific keywords that will coincide with their military occupations. It is important to cross-reference your job descriptions with veteran skills. 

4. Ask Veterans the Right Questions: Veterans bring a unique skill set and set of experiences that is best understood through questions that go beyond the standard, "Name three weaknesses and strengths." The right questions will help you gain valuable insight into how a veteran's military experience translates into civilian qualifications.

Need some help with putting these steps into practice?

Thousands of companies have turned to Orion International over the past 25 years for this type of support, many of whom have developed an Orion Military Talent Program™. These programs address all phases of the process, from sourcing, candidate attraction and recruiting through on-boarding, integration, and retention.

Please contact us today to learn more.  

National Distinguished Candidate Conferences

National Distinguished Candidates

Mark your calendar for our upcoming National Distinguished Candidate Conferences:

March 7-8, 2016 in Dallas, TX 

April 25-26, 2016 in Philadelphia, PA

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 2015, more than 100 client companies strategically hired Orion's Military Officer through our Distinguished Candidate Conferences, with over 50% 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.

Upcoming Hiring Conferences

Military Job Seekers

Orion Military Hiring Conferences - Interview Junior Military Officers, Noncommissioned Officers and Enlisted Technicians Recruited for your Hiring Needs

An Orion Hiring Conference is your chance to interview the best military job seekers, selected specifically for your open positions. You will be presented with prescreened, qualified and suitably matched veterans that are interested in your available opportunities. Click on the dates below to learn more about our upcoming hiring conferences.

West

Northeast

Southeast 

Midwest

South Central

According to Our Clients

 “We were very impressed with how the Hiring Conference went. We got to meet a lot of qualified technicians. Hopefully, we will be back to another conference in the future as our company grows. Our Account Executive was available to answer any question we had during the conference.”- Curtis Conaway, Lead Mechanical Technician, Zee.Aero

“The Hiring Conference we attended was a well-done event; I was impressed by all of the candidates, as well as the Orion staff.” - Lorraine Lang, Vice President of Human Resources, ADA Carbon Solutions

“Everything was great and well organized. I was very impressed by the candidates. They were extremely professional and prompt.” - Kevin Quasny, Wrigley

Meet Our Candidates

Meet Our Candidates

 

The battle for talent in the workplace can be fierce. It doesn't have to be if you know where to look. Below is a preview of actual Orion International candidates and the valuable skills and experience they possess.

Telecommunications Technical Lead Officer with a Master's Degree View Resume

Navy Surface Warfare Officer View Resume

Operations Officer View Resume

Nuclear Electronics Technician View Resume

Army Multi-Craft Technician View Resume

Navy Nuclear Mechanic with a Nuclear Engineering Technology Degree View Resume

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!

Connect with Orion

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

Download the report