JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a couple of weeks away, and she’s getting ready for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task hunters, she went to a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of employment in various industries, made it various than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, internship.af it started with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were readily available to answer working with concerns, 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 task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to find out what kind of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor [empty] 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 teachinthailand.org pitch is a “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe stated, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

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

Education is an essential benefit of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered 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 financial resources, including credit reports, budget plans and “constructing 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 whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and discovering their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for job fairs.

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

He described that participants need to pinpoint the business they wish to talk with and tawtheaf.com research them ahead of time, linked web site to enable for educated discussions with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and talked with some recruiters. A senior information technology professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.