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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job candidates, she attended a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of employment in various markets, made it various than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were offered to respond to employing concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations including VERG, 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 occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover out what sort of chances exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

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

To prepare for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

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

Among the job fair’s goals was to help individuals learn more about profession opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential advantage of attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or 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 educated decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, including credit reports, budget plans and “building a nest egg so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday,” he stated, “however while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, working.co.ke seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – including certifications, accreditations and https://studentvolunteers.us/employer/nohproblem/ schooling – and discovering their hiring practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work consists of getting ready for task 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 described that guests should identify the business they wish to talk with and http://www.grainfather.co.nz/ research them ahead of time, to enable for educated discussions with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and consulted with some employers. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.