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 went to a hiring fair 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 needs to provide, just to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of employment in different industries, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were available to answer employing concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

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

A quarterly event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what type of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 event will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.

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

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

Among the objectives was to help individuals find out about career chances and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial benefit of attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the available chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that basically every year,” he said. “We want them to make an informed choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “constructing a nest egg so you have something to work with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe stated.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army one day,” he said, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, horizonsmaroc.com seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

“You need to be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later on down the roadway,” he stated.

That preparation work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He explained that attendees ought to identify the business they want to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and talked to some employers. A senior details innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she desires to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.