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 preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task hunters, she attended a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of work in different industries, made it various 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 addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were readily available to respond to employing questions, 34.236.28.152 stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including 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 event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover out what type of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion will be held May 8, backtowork.gr July 10 and jobflux.eu 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 wanting to do,” Handoe stated, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s goals was to assist people discover profession chances and how their skills line up with them, celest-interim.fr Gentz said.

Education is an essential benefit of attending a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “developing a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.

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

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and discovering about their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

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

He described that participants should pinpoint the business they wish to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to permit educated discussions with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task fair and spoke to some recruiters. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.