JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, employment Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a couple of weeks away, and employment 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 a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, 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 started with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were readily available to address employing questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, employment Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover out what type of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion 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 said.

An elevator pitch is a “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking 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 people discover profession opportunities and how their abilities align with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential advantage of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or employment they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, including credit reports, budgets and “constructing a savings 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 one day,” he said, “however while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are searching for – including certifications, accreditations and education – and learning about their working with practices, employment Handoe said.

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

That preparation work includes getting ready for job fairs.

“You require to enter into an employing reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.

He discussed that attendees ought to determine the companies they desire to talk with and research them ahead of time, employment to permit educated discussions with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some employers. A senior info innovation professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she desires to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.