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 the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job applicants, she went to an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

„I just attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to use, just to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of work in numerous industries, made it various 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 agencies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were available to concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including VERG, teachersconsultancy.com WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, Youth and [empty] 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 learn what type of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 event will be held May 8, July 10 and [Redirect-302] Sept. 11.

To prepare for them, „gown for success,” bring your resume and sowjobs.com practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

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

One of the task fair’s goals was to assist individuals discover career chances and how their abilities align with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential advantage of attending a task fair, 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 readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, teachersconsultancy.com Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budgets and „constructing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe stated.

„Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he said, „however while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

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

„You should be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later on down the road,” he stated.

That preparation work includes preparing for task fairs.

„You need to go into a hiring reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.

He described that attendees must identify the business they wish to speak with and research them ahead of time, to enable for informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and consulted with some employers. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.