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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she attended an employing 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 needs to offer, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than employment 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 companies, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were readily available to address working with concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including VERG, sowjobs.com WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of 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, USSD financial the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover out what kind of chances exist here outside your back door,” stated 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 said.

An elevator pitch is a “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe said, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s objectives was to assist people learn more about career opportunities and how their abilities align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential benefit of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or agalliances.com they have actually seen the available chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that basically every year,” he said. “We desire them to make an informed decision about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “building 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, “but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are trying to find – including certifications, accreditations and education – and learning about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He explained that attendees ought to identify the companies they desire to speak with and research them ahead of time, to permit for educated conversations with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 job fair and talked with some recruiters. 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.