Brian Henry, Orion’s Senior VP of Operations Featured in Beyond the Uniform Podcast

Brian Henry, Orion Talent’s Senior VP of Operations, was featured on Beyond the Uniform earlier this week. Beyond the Uniform is a podcast dedicated to military veterans and their civilian careers - how they got there, what they do, and advice for other veterans looking for a similar career. Brian, a former USMC Infantry Officer, has worked at Orion for 20 years, first as an Account Executive and now as the head of the Officer Recruiting team of all five offices nationwide.

In the podcast, Brian shared his insight and own experience in helping military veterans find their first job after the military, including how to work with Orion to find a job, action items for candidates looking for a job after the military, and changes he has seen in the recruiting world since he started his career.

“If you are transitioning from the military soon and want to work with Orion to help you find a job, the first thing you should do is go on our website to register and create a profile,” Brian explained. “A Recruiter will then reach out to you to get started.” After registering, the next step is contingent upon your separation date. “If you are within 90 days (of separation), we will match you up with opportunities and start setting you up with interviews,” he said. Prior to that time, the early stages are geared towards career search education, including resume writing assistance and interview preparation.

For those transitioning from the military that are unsure if they want to use a military recruiting firm like Orion, Brian offered the following advice: “It is better for us to have your information than not have it,” he stated. “If you are in our database and we find an opportunity that you are a fit for, we will contact you.”

Once you’ve decided to work with Orion, the next step is to do some “soul searching,” to figure out what is most important to you in a career, whether it be position, location, or salary, Brian advised. Once you have an idea of what you would like to do, “find another veteran in the industry that you are interested in to gain some information and awareness,” Brian stated. LinkedIn is a great tool to connect with other veterans with a similar career path, and don’t be afraid to reach out to your Recruiter for help. Brian also recommended reading some books on transitioning to the civilian workforce from Orion’s recommended reading list, in particular Out of Uniform: Your Guide to a Successful Military-to-Civilian Career Transition by Tom Wolfe. “The more time you put into it (your job search), the more successful you will be.”

Since he first began his career at Orion, Brian has seen a lot of change over the last 20 years. “The biggest change has been the inception of LinkedIn and social media in general,” Brian said. “It has given us the ability to connect individually with candidates, and candidates can now easily network.” In addition, since the events of 9/11, there has been a proliferation of veteran initiatives, like Joining Forces, to drive companies to hire veterans. However, with these new changes come obstacles. “There is so much information out there now, it can be hard to find the relevant information you (Veteran job seekers) need,” Brian stated.

Brian concluded his podcast segment with some advice for transitioning military members, urging them to take charge of their own career search. “If you excel and perform, doors will open,” he advised.

If you’re ready to begin working with Orion to find a civilian career, head to our website to register and start the process, and connect with Brian on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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