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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, 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 make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, horizonsmaroc.com instead of work in numerous markets, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state firms, studentvolunteers.us who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were available to respond to employing concerns, 이지론 stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations 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 job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what kind of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift 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 prepare for studentvolunteers.us them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and [Redirect-302] practice your elevator teachersconsultancy.com pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe said, that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the task fair’s goals was to help people learn about profession chances and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key advantage of attending a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “developing 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 someday,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

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

He explained that attendees ought to pinpoint the business they desire to speak with and research them ahead of time, to allow for educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and talked to some employers. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.