JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

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

As part of a group of about 30 task applicants, she attended a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state employment, Car Loan instead of employment in different markets, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were readily available to respond to working with questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies consisting of VERG, career.finixia.in WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, Youth and Families; 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 opportunity to find out what kind of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and 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 intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe said, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s objectives was to help individuals learn about profession chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a key benefit of participating in a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, [empty] including credit reports, budgets and “building 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 someday,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are searching for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do in the future down the road,” he stated.

That preparation work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He explained that participants ought to identify the business they wish to speak to and research them ahead of time, to enable educated discussions with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke to some recruiters. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, https://starttrainingfirstaid.com.au/employer/sowjobs she has actually found she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.