Project Manager

West
US Air Force, O-3

As soon as I knew I was going to separate from the military, I reviewed the information I had received on military recruiting agencies. Orion International was the one with which I wanted to start. I had a few friends go through other agencies, and their experiences did not sound very good. Orion attracted me because they seemed to be the most organized, most straightforward, and most sincere in trying to find candidates the job that is best for them. I began the job search with Orion in October 2007. My goal was to have a job by November, well before my official separation date January 2008.

JP Sniffen worked wonders for me. I was very anxious about making the transition from military to civilian, but he helped me channel and focus my thoughts and energy to a career field which would best suit me. I felt he did a spectacular job at sizing up my abilities, putting all the opportunities at my feet, and pretty much helping me get what I wanted. Matt Doty also helped me get through the interview process. He gave me tips and pointers on how to prepare for an interview and helped me feel more comfortable about what exactly I was getting into should I land the job. I wanted to avoid obtaining a job for the sole purpose of having a job. I wanted a job that I would enjoy.

I attended a hiring conference in October 2007 in San Diego. JP set me up with five interviews, but he knew what my number-one choice was, and he definitely helped me seize the opportunity. I got follow-up interviews with three of the companies and got offers from all three. It was a VERY difficult decision for me to make as all of the offers were enticing. What it came down to was which company I would enjoy most based on their culture and potential growth and further opportunities.

My position as Project Manager at Jones Lang LaSalle was an opportunity that I had no idea was available to me prior to attending the conference. If I had never gone, I would never have learned about the company and hence landed a job in an industry that I am very excited to enter. Leaving the military, I knew that I could do a number of things. This job will allow me to develop creatively and still be able to utilize the leadership experiences that I had in the Air Force. I am very happy and excited to start.

I was very impressed with Orion’s professionalism. The people I worked with at Orion were not overbearing, and customer service was first class. They have a quality staff. It is obvious that they know what they are doing. I am very thankful that an organization like Orion exists. As past military officers, they understand what type of background we come from and are able to translate those skills into the civilian sector. A lot of times it's hard for military officers to think about what other job opportunities are available, and Orion does a good job at outlining and making available those opportunities.