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Author Topic: ELT getting out at six years, looking for a NLO position I think.  (Read 20270 times)

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Zor

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First of all thanks for putting this website together. I feel better off already and I've just been lurking and reading previous posts. I'm getting out of the sub force after six years and it's time to start looking for jobs. I've read that I need a resume that makes me "stand out". Can anyone give me some advice on how to make myself "stand out" in a good way? I am not EWS qualified. Is that going to set me back? And I read that Palo Verde was on a hiring freeze sometime back for operators, is that still the case? And I guess my last question is do all plants post ads for operator positions? As I look through the job boards I see a lot of listings for engineers, planners, instructors and a lot of other high paying/high level of experience positions, but I don't see a lot of entry level positions. Can anyone help me get my foot in the door.

Thanks in advance,
Zor

Flyer760

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San Onofre, northwest corner of San Diego County, will be starting to hire a new Operator class in the Spring. We usually get about 20-25 Operators for each class. You can do a web search online, www.edisonjobs.com. Search for Southern California Edison jobs and then wade through the menu and search on Nuclear Gen. There are several other openings now for supervision, and management.

IPREGEN

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Even though it's a nuke forum does not mean you have to limit yourself to that. You can search any utility for a job. Resume - Make sure you include you computer competencies such as MS Word, Excel and such. Include any projects you were tied to that would showcase your abilities. Also when it comes time to interview brush up on the BEI format for an interview. It's pretty much standard questions that get asked. A couple of links for this http://www.asisvcs.com/bellsouth/pdf/710057.pdf
http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/gettingthejob/a/Interviewing_3.htm

The first link is basic tips, the second is pretty much exactly what is asked.

Good luck

Zor

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Thanks for the links guys.

Offline Adam Grundleger

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Interested in anything other than ops?  I might have something for you.  PM me for details.

Zor

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San Onofre, northwest corner of San Diego County, will be starting to hire a new Operator class in the Spring. We usually get about 20-25 Operators for each class. You can do a web search online, www.edisonjobs.com. Search for Southern California Edison jobs and then wade through the menu and search on Nuclear Gen. There are several other openings now for supervision, and management.

I searched the site and I can't find anything that looks like an operator position. I saw some stuff for nuclear electrician, is that the job that's classing up? Or am I missing it altogether?

Madcow43

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I searched the site and I can't find anything that looks like an operator position. I saw some stuff for nuclear electrician, is that the job that's classing up? Or am I missing it altogether?

They don't have any NLO positions posted at the moment.  The nuclear electrician is a maintenance position.  I've been watching SONGS, Diablo Canyon, and Palo Verde recently, trying to get back to southwest and back into the nuclear field.

Zor

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I'm trying to go to the southwest also. I'm open to other areas since my goal is to have work when I get out, but I'm partial to the southwest. Does anyone on here work at Palo Verde? If so, are they going to be hiring for any NLO positions in the near future?
« Last Edit: Sep 13, 2009, 09:39 by Zor »

M1Ark

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I read that Palo Verde was on a hiring freeze sometime back for operators, is that still the case?



No.  Hasn't been true in quite a while.  Utilities hire classes once a year.  You have to figure out each utilities hiring time.  Palo Verde likes to start NLO classes in March but they'll start to look in the fall.  They already have a large stack of resumes for the 2010 class.  They are just gathering right now and haven't actually started screening them.

Zor

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No.  Hasn't been true in quite a while.  Utilities hire classes once a year.  You have to figure out each utilities hiring time.  Palo Verde likes to start NLO classes in March but they'll start to look in the fall.  They already have a large stack of resumes for the 2010 class.  They are just gathering right now and haven't actually started screening them.

That's intimidating. A stack of resumes already and they haven't even listed it yet. How do I get my resume in that stack? and what can I do to increase my chances of an interview?

M1Ark

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That's intimidating. A stack of resumes already and they haven't even listed it yet. How do I get my resume in that stack? and what can I do to increase my chances of an interview?

Don't worry.  Most of the people on that stack has already moved on.  Submit your resume and you'll more than likely get called.

jkgordon

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I work for B&W in Lynchburg, Va. My manager is looking for up to three new technicians. We do work primarily for the nuclear utilities. My manager would prefer ELTs, but we will consider all former navy nukes.

If you email me a resume, jkgordon@babcock.com I will forward it.

Don't worry about polishing it too much. I did 12 years as a mechanic on subs an I work with 5 former ELTs. We'll know what your qualifications, just highlight any special schools, skills etc.

Ken Gordon
former MM1/SS

Stngray

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Palo Verde is starting to hire AO's now for next years class. Class should start around March 2010. The career page is down for a couple hours for maintenance, so I will edit this post later and provide a direct link. If you want to find it in the meantime, its www.pinnaclewest.com , and click on the careers link.

Zor

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I just applied at Palo Verde. I haven't heard back from anyone else yet. Can anyone give me a timeframe that you might get a callback?

jowlman

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There are more things to consider than power plant positions. I have recently been hired to tech at the Nevada Test Site. They had more positions posted since I was hired. You can look them up here if you are interested. The company is National Security Technologies. I hope that this helps..........Fred

Stngray

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I just applied at Palo Verde. I haven't heard back from anyone else yet. Can anyone give me a timeframe that you might get a callback?

When I got hired here, it was a couple months after applying that I recieved a call. They interview in batches, so it could be awhile until you hear anything.

Zor

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Thanks stngray. I'll try to be patient. I'm in TAP class this week. Are there any questions I should ask during TAP? or any information I should be specifically looking for?

JustinHEMI05

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97% of TAP was useless to me. Of particular interest and usefulness, however, was the resume writing and VA transitional info.

Justin

Offline Neutron_Herder

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Agree with Justin...  For the most part TAP was a complete waste.  The resume writing stuff was pretty good, and the VA info is great. 

More than anything get contact info for the people involved.  Especially DAV, VA and the workforce development people if they're there.  You're going to have questions later, and if you have their contact info you can ask them!

Jay
"If everybody's thinking alike, somebody isn't thinking" - Gen. George S. Patton

Offline Timmy85

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Thanks stngray. I'll try to be patient. I'm in TAP class this week. Are there any questions I should ask during TAP? or any information I should be specifically looking for?

Best thing to do in TAPs class is to take the books and handouts to use as tools for writing you resume, and skip the rest of the classes.  I used my time to look for jobs rather than sit in a room listen to someone waste man hours who gets paid by the government for doing, what, I am not certain.  How do you get that job?

In summary, learn how to write resumes and take a paid week off.
Timothy D. Hewitt

Zor

  • Guest
Thanks guys,

So far I am getting the same vibe. I've got all the handouts and I wrote down all the VA, unemployment, department of labor and so on websites in one notebook so they are all together. If anyone has gotten out and wants an updated list of all these websites and contact info let me know since I should have the most up to date info.

Also I've scheduled an appointment with the VA to see if I am entitled to any disability or other compensation.

Well, back to the job search.

Zor

Offline Adam Grundleger

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The company I work for has three hot-fill positions for the midwest, one non-nuke and two nuke.  There are several others that I don't have details on yet.  The work is independent third party inspections and it's been a good deal so far.  You'd need to be hot on welding technology, NDE, and QA/QC admin, but it's a cinch to pick up that stuff if you can hack the Navy nuke program/fleet (Boiler techs, HTs, etc. welcome, too.)  PM me for details.  Decent money, good benefits, a little boring but mostly not too hard.

P.S.:  I'm not a recruiter, but the company needs people.  Yes, I get a bird-dog for bringing people in, but I'm mostly putting this out there because it took me a while to find this job and I wish someone had posted about it while I was job hunting.

Offline Nuclear NASCAR

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The company I work for has three hot-fill positions for the midwest, one non-nuke and two nuke. 

Have they considered posting them here on Nukeworker?  We have this really nice jobs board.  8)
"There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge."

  -Bertrand Russell

Offline Adam Grundleger

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I have tried, but they have a really conservative attitude.  Translation:  I don't work at home office, therefore I should concentrate on field work.  Sooner or later they'll catch on.  In the meantime I'm just trying to help people who are now where I once was.  It's a good gig.  
« Last Edit: Oct 08, 2009, 12:05 by Nuclear NASCAR »

Zor

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Thanks for everyone's help and recommendations. I've been invited to take the POSS at Palo Verde at the end of the month. I also heard back from First Energy in Stratton, Ohio to take their test. How many plants did you guys test at? The reason I ask is that Palo Verde is covering my travel and accomadations and First Energy is not. If I take more tests I see myself racking up a bunch of travel expenses right before I have to sell a house and move. Is this normal? Well its time to study. I've looked at the info on this website and others and I think I should be sufficiently prepared when the day comes.

Zor

Stngray

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Noticed that they are interviewing for AO positions this week. Let us know how it goes for you.

Offline pokerface1000

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As far as travel expenses it really depends on the utility.  Some pay for it.  Some don't.  Maybe others have had experiences different than mine, but from what I've experienced union plants tend to not pay for travel expenses for interviews.  The people in the union that negotiate what they want from the company already have jobs, so they don't ask the company to provide them with things like travel expenses during the interview process.  Also, anther thing I found out from HR after being offered my job that you may want to consider when dealing with unionized plants was that there would be no relocation assistance because it was a union position whereas it would have been provided had I accepted a management position.  I'm not putting unions down.  There can be a lot of benefits to being a part of one after you take your job, but they can make things more difficult on people trying to find work far from home.

Offline elwood

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As stated above some pay for everything and others nothing.  The union contracts do have influence on this but some union plants pay for everything too.  The same goes for moving expenses.  If they are important to you ask for them.

Good Luck

Zor

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Thanks for everyone's advice. I took the POSS last week for First Energy and passed. Got a call from there HR yesterday asking to schedule an interview. I also took the POSS (passed) and interviewed at Palo Verde (my first choice) yesterday and I feel so-so about it. That was the first real interview I've ever been through. Before the navy I worked in body shops and motorcycle shops, so no real interviewing there. Without any experience interviewing I don't know if it went well or not. I do know that I passed the POSS and there written test and I did a pretty good job of keeping my foot out of my mouth. I studied the STAR interview format, which is exactly what they used, so I think that helped. I should know something either way within a week, so I will let you guys know the outcome. And I still have to interview with first energy.

I really want to thank everyone for their advice/help/support.

Zor

Offline navsteve

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Zor

You said that you passed the POSS and a written test.  What was involved in the written test?  Do other plants normally have an additional test besides the POSS?

DSO

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Thanks guys,

So far I am getting the same vibe. I've got all the handouts and I wrote down all the VA, unemployment, department of labor and so on websites in one notebook so they are all together. If anyone has gotten out and wants an updated list of all these websites and contact info let me know since I should have the most up to date info.

Also I've scheduled an appointment with the VA to see if I am entitled to any disability or other compensation.

Well, back to the job search.

Zor
Zor,  Beware of First Energy Corp...I just quit there and moved on due to their raises after 4 1/2 years barely kept up with inflation....2.83% raise in 2008 when they had record profits..and I was supposedly still increasing on the merit scale (started at 90% of target and after 4 1/2 years was at 93%of target)...not..even reduced salaries for a 3 month period by 5% this year..Their relocation was great..but so is the Navys. You can pay now or pay later. A bunch of disgruntled people work in the place I was formerly employed.PM me if you want more extrapolation.

Zor

  • Guest
DSO, thanks for the warning. I'll keep that in the back of my head when I go up there for an interview. I got to walk around the operations training area at Palo Verde and everyone I talked to seemed really positive and happy to work there. I got interviewed by guys (SRO's and AO's) that have been there since the first plant went critical. So it looks like they have a pretty high retention and take care of their people.

navsteve, the written test was really cheesy. Very basic mechanical/electrical principles and theories. I stress VERY BASIC. And the interviewer told me that it was not a make or break portion of the process, just a gage they use. The POSS is the real make or break test, that and how well your interview goes.

 


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