Account Manager

Southeast
US Army, O-3

I started searching for jobs around February 2012 in anticipation of my retirement in June.  My goal was to have a job by June 1.  Orion outdid my goal by a day when I received my offer from Layne Christensen on May 31, 2012!    

Jim Freeze and Mike Wood were my recruiters. They both listened to me but weren't afraid to tell me what industries I may not be a good fit for.  They also reassured me that being my genuine self was going to pay off in the long run.  That was the reassurance I needed to project the confidence I had but was a bit reticent to lead off with in a tough job market. 

 Initially, I started by meeting with Jim Freeze and going over my resume.  We met a few times while he was at Fort Bragg.  He got to know what my "dream job" was regarding location and industry.  Once my separation date was close enough, Mike Wood took me on, and we spoke on the phone several times regarding location and different industries.  Mike encouraged me to attend a hiring conference in Raleigh take advantage of the interview preparation and the experience of meeting with some colleagues that were also seeking civilian work.  And while I didn’t get a job at that conference, it prepared me for the next one I attended. 

At the Fort Bragg Military Hiring Event, I interviewed with four companies.  Mike was even thoughtful enough to make them all morning interviews, so I could return to the beach!  All four companies called me back with potential employment opportunities.  Mike and I discussed each one, the probability of an offer, as well as the time frame.  Mike also really encouraged me to be active on all sorts of job hunting sites to broaden my scope.  I liked how I could work with Orion, but they encouraged me to use other sources, as well.

It really felt like we had a common goal of getting me a good job.  Mike knew I had a pretty high expectation of living in the Southeast, preferably Florida but definitely near a beach.  I also wanted a company I really believed in in which I could find longevity and a good paycheck.—nothing ridiculous, just good.  Although we had those interested companies from my latest conference, Mike called me with another opportunity.  I did phone interviews with that company, too.   

That company was Layne Christensen, and they moved pretty quickly and flew me to Chicago to have a second interview.  It went well, although it's not Florida.  I followed the interview prep that Mike and I had done over the phone.  I was myself and was confident in my abilities and what I could offer their company.

I was not a fit for the Illinois position but I did get a third interview with Layne Christensen at their Pensacola office.  I left that interview and called Mike.  I felt good about it but had not received an offer.  About two hours later, I received a call that they wanted to make me an offer, and I should have it by lunchtime the following day.  As soon as I got the offer, I forwarded it to Mike to discuss.  He agreed with me that it was a really good offer in Florida near the beach.  I was so appreciative of the help he gave me through the whole process. Mike Wood is a rock star in my opinion!!