JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a few weeks away, and she’s getting ready for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she participated in a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to use, simply to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state work, teachersconsultancy.com instead of employment in numerous industries, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were offered to address hiring concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations including VERG, sowjobs.com WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what kind of chances exist here outdoors your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 will be held May 8, July 10 and studentvolunteers.us Sept. 11.

To get ready for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe stated, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to help people find out about career opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential benefit of going to a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that basically every year,” he said. “We want them to make an educated decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “building a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday,” he stated, “however while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are searching for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and learning about their working with practices, Handoe said.

“You must be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do later on down the roadway,” he said.

That preparation work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

“You require to enter into an employing reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.

He explained that participants must pinpoint the business they want to talk with and research study them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task reasonable and talked with some employers. A senior teachersconsultancy.com info technology expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she desires to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.