Free Career Placement Services for Transitioning and Retiring Senior Military Officers (SMOs)
"I was very skeptical of using a recruiting firm, feeling that I could probably do better conducting my own job search, but I could not have been more wrong. The opportunity to interview with multiple companies within the span of a single day not only put me in front of a number of desirable employers but also allowed me to easily compare the interviewing companies to determine my interest in them.
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." - Kurt Mondlak, Retired Navy O-5 SWO, USNA '92
Career Services for Senior Military Officers
Orion's primary focus on the Officer side is typically the transitioning Junior Officer, but we have plenty of success stories with Senior Military Officers as well.
Why does Orion typically work with transitioning Junior Officers vs. Senior Officers?
Our client companies are usually looking for us to provide developmental talent, transitioning from the military, that can join their companies in a role where they are able to get their foot in the door, establish themselves in their business, and bring unlimited potential to grow and develop. The JMO brings valuable leadership and real world experiences from their 4-10 years of military service, and they are at an income level that is more closely aligned with the pay bands for the positions that companies can hire someone into, without previous industry experience.
In general, the longer someone stays in the military, the more they earn and they will take on ever increasing roles of responsibility. The earnings history and level of responsibility attained in military positions without having direct related industry experience is viewed by many companies as a disqualifier and reason why they may not consider a Senior Officer for a position.
In the private sector, the higher you go within an organization, it is more imperative that the candidate being considered for the role has directly related and specific experiences. Senior Officers, while bringing a breadth of experience and potential, can be seen as "over-qualified" for many of the roles JMOs typically enter, yet "not qualified" for executive level roles that are a closer lateral move from their military titles.
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:
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
Supply Chain Manager, Honeywell Aerospace, $85K
Cost Estimating Engineer, BASF, $106K
Project Manager, Siemens Industry, $80K
Production Supervisor, Stryker, $85K
Director Inventory Management, National Grid, $150K
Facility Security Officer, ESCO Marine, $120K
98% of our Military Officer Candidates say they would recommend us to their friends and colleagues, and 90% say that Orion's services are better than our competitors - check out these testimonials from Senior Military Officers who found their post-military careers through Orion.
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.
