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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she participated in a working with 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 has to use, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of work 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 agencies, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were offered to answer hiring questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager 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 event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to learn what kind of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services manager 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 “fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe said, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s objectives was to assist individuals discover career chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key advantage of going to a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “building a nest egg 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 someday,” he stated, “however while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are looking for referall.us – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and learning more about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work consists of preparing for job fairs.

“You require to go into a hiring fair with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.

He explained that attendees ought to determine the business they want to talk with and research them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with recruiters.

the Jan. 30 task fair and spoke with some employers. A senior info technology expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.