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Senior Military Officers

Career Success for Transitioning and Retiring Senior Military Officers (SMOs)

Senior Military Officer Testimonials

"Orion provided me with all the tools needed to be successful. At the hiring conference, I interviewed with four construction companies, had two follow-up interviews, and subsequently accepted an offer as a Project Engineer with an organization that I can see myself growing with for a long second career." -U.S. Army, O-5, Air Defense, Project Engineer, Commercial Construction

"Orion is an untapped resource for retiring O-5s and O-6s who do not wish to work as a government employee or work for the defense industry upon retirement. I was very impressed with Orion's process and would certainly have not found my new career had it not been for Orion's Distinguished Candidate Conference." -U.S. Navy, O-5, SWO, Cost Estimating Engineer, Chemicals/Glass

"Field grade officers should not discount using Orion Talent due to their seniority or time in service. When transitioning, you need as much assistance and advice as you can get. After applying for nearly 75 jobs via the internet, using all the techniques the job search books teach you and speaking with networking contacts throughout, my only two interviews were through Orion." -U.S. Marine Corps, O-5, Infantry Officer, Project Manager, Manufacturing

"The Orion team understood how best to market my specific skills and talents. Without them, I would have never have had this opportunity. My employer trusted Orion to provide them with high quality candidates with the leadership skills they were searching for. Based on my experience, I recommend Orion's services to my friends and associates. They do a great service for our veterans." -U.S. Air Force, O-6, Store Manager, Retail

Career Services for Senior Military Officers

As an SMO, how do you know if you are a good candidate to benefit from Career Placement Services from Orion? It really depends on what you are looking for as you plan your retirement from Active Duty. Please read the guidelines below and see how closely they align with your goals and preferences:

    The Orion Difference
  • You are interested in leveraging and utilizing your Leadership, Project Management, Maintenance Management, Technical Management, Logistics, and/or Business Development related experiences from the military in a new and exciting career. These are the skills we see in highest demand from our client companies.
  • You would like to enter the private sector vs. pursuing a defense contractor or government employment career path. Orion companies are typically private sector, for-profit corporations, representing a very wide range of different industries.
  • You are humble enough to realize that you may need to consider roles for which a JMO with 12-15 years less experience may also be qualified. There just aren't that many director-level positions available, and when they are, they will more likely be won by someone with years of industry experience.
  • You are able to convince a hiring manager that you are truly interested in the position and the opportunity to start a career within the company, and that they should not fear that you are accustomed to significantly more responsibility and will tire quickly of the position. You can expect to face the objection that you are "over qualified" and must be able to convince your interviewers that you are truly interested in a role where you can leverage your experience while learning a whole new business. Have confidence that as you gain experience, people will see that you are capable of taking on greater responsibility and that you relish the opportunity for new challenges.
  • You are open to pay in the $70K+ range, and see the value in getting your foot in the door, learning the business, and quickly proving your ability to take on more and be readily promotable. You can look at your retirement pay as a buffer to help offset the difference between your military pay and your starting civilian pay, and be confident that as you gain experience and are promoted, you will quickly arrive at the salary you desire. Once the company views you as a fit and an asset to their team, anything can happen.
  • The more flexible you can be in terms of where you will work, the better! Everyone has a preference surrounding their post-military career location, and hopefully yours aligns well with the locations in which companies are hiring. If you are not interested in or able to move, it does not mean that you can't work with Orion. You just need to be aware that we will be limited in exposing you to those opportunities that fit with your location preferences. Someone who is willing to take a great opportunity anywhere within a region is likely to see more options than if you remain right outside of your last duty station upon retiring. If you are location restricted, you should consider if Sales or Business Development may be right for you, and also think about how much you are willing to travel.
  • Be honest with your Recruiter. We ask that you keep us informed and updated along the way on your preferences and the positions which you would realistically accept if offered. Our responsibility to our client companies is to present them with only those candidates that are qualified for the opportunity AND truly interested in pursuing the opportunity.
If you feel that the guidelines above are in alignment with your post-military goals, then there is a great chance that Orion may be able to help in your career search!

Recent Careers for Former Senior Military Officers through Orion

  • Army Officer O-4
  • Navy Officer O-4
  • USMC Officer O-4
  • Air Force Officer O-4
  • Navy Officer O-5
  • USMC Officer O-5

Ready to get started?

Registering with Orion will give you access to our Recruiting Team so that we can begin to help you through your transition. Registration takes just a few minutes and is the first step to finding your next career with Orion.


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