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 preparing for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she went to a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career 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 use, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of employment in numerous markets, made it different than others on the setup. 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 questions. Following the panel, employers from state companies were available to respond to hiring questions, complete-jobs.com said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations consisting of VERG, 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 occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to learn what type of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job 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 “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the task fair’s objectives was to help people learn more about career chances and how their with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential advantage of going to a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or teachersconsultancy.com they have seen the readily available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

“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 discovering financial resources, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “building a savings 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, “however 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 outdoors world are trying to find – consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their working with practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work includes getting ready for job fairs.

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

He described that attendees need to determine the companies they wish to talk to and research them ahead of time, to permit educated discussions with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and talked with some recruiters. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.