Career Path > Navy:Getting Out
Submarine Officer retiring after 22 years..thoughts on going NLO?
ComradeRed1308:
Will a new SRO who was an NLO for 4 years be a better SRO than an new direct SRO? Most definitely. Will a new SRO who was an NLO for 4 years be a better SRO than a someone who has been an SRO for 4 years? .... Maybe, but probably not. I recently got out of the Navy after doing 5 and out as an officer and am going direct SRO. I considered an NLO job, but if you plan on working your way up why start lower than you have to? If you go NLO->RO->SRO, you're going to be on shift for a long time and start off making less. If you go directly into SRO you can get your experience on shift and move to day shift positions that much sooner if you so choose. The only reasons I see going for an NLO job is if you would rather be an NLO/RO than an SRO or really want to get into civilian nuclear and absolutely cannot find an SRO position in a suitable location/timeframe.
Careerwise, I think you're better off going direct SRO. If NLO is what you want to do or the only thing available where you want to live, then that might suit you better. In the end you're probably going to be just fine either way.
Red Gold:
Okay, I have to address this:
--- Quote from: fourteener on Jun 19, 2017, 03:55 ---I think you are very much underrating yourself. You don't need to be any kind of operator and with your qualifications you should soot for something higher. Any utility would appreciate the talent you bring, as would the US DOE. Shoot higher.
--- End quote ---
Shoot "higher"? I'm not sure what plant or plants you have worked at but everywhere I've known the Operations department is respected (even if frequently complained about!). When it comes down to it, they are the ones with their hands on the controls.
I have known multiple former Navy officers come to their plants' Ops department, whether as direct SROs or NLOs, and have success, whether that means going on to get a license, progressing in a different department or plant... or simply remaining in the role they initially worked in. A lot of folks consider the work of a non-licensed field operator in particular to be the best "money vs stress" ratio of any job in nuclear power. There's a lot to be said for not having any direct reports in this game! Besides, bbksv had stated they missed the hands-on stuff, and being an NLO offers a heck of a lot more opportunity for that vs. becoming, say, a system engineer.
And this isn't even getting into the fact that "any kind of operator" includes folks with licenses - you know, the folks who wind up in senior leadership positions in nuclear power? I find it surprising that someone could imply that becoming an SRO was somehow beneath the station of a retired USN Officer, particularly as their first foray into the industry.
bbksv - I think you're pretty much going about this the right way. hamsamich and the others gave some good advice, too. Bear in mind that the hiring picture changes year-on-year; some plants only hire Ops on a two-year cycle, some even less frequently than that. The best thing is to start applying as you approach retirement, using this board and other sources for the 'gouge' on specific plants or employers. Good luck!
bbksv:
Red Gold...absolutely get what you are saying. The good thing is when it comes down to it I am pretty flexible as to where I go to get my foot in the door atleast.
This may sound silly but one of my highest priorities is to be near a lake so I can go boating more :)
Anyone know of any plants looking to hire in the March-May time frame next year?
ComradeRed1308:
It might be a little bit early out to actually find interviews for March to May next year, but look for opportunities that you want now and begin applying for them. Go to company websites for First Energy, Exelon, etc. and begin applying for jobs you're interested in right now. The applications usually will have you put in when you'll be available. The goal is to get in touch with their recruiters, who should know what jobs are opening up and when. ILT classes happen on a pretty regular schedule (about every two years) so they should be able to tell you which plants will be hiring around the time you get out. Some companies may take quite awhile with their recruiting process so it doesn't hurt to start now. I would also recommend also applying for jobs at plants that might be outside of where you want to live. You don't want to be left in the cold in case you don't get your first choices, and it helps from a negotiating standpoint if you get multiple offers. I also got my job by being cold contacted by a recruiter on LinkedIn, so make sure you have an account. You never know where the opportunity might come from.
MMM:
A quick way to see when ILO classes will be coming up: Look at the NRC GFES exam schedule. Since class up dates are based on that exam, you will need to be on site 9 months (6 months for the on site requirement, 3 months of class) prior. That doesn't help with which sites hire when, but it gives you an idea. As far as NLO goes, that's a little fuzzier, they're typically hired when the site needs a group.
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