JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a few 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, teachersconsultancy.com she participated in a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just try to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to use, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state work, instead of employment in various industries, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, https://horizonsmaroc.com/entreprises/kwintech/ WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were available to address working with questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations consisting of VERG, [empty] 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 rightlane.beparian.com Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what type of chances exist here outdoors your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services manager 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 get ready for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

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

Among the job fair’s goals was to assist people discover profession opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial benefit of going to a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the offered chances 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 about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “developing 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, “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 individuals in the outside world are searching for – including certifications, accreditations and education – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for job fairs.

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

He discussed that guests need to identify the business they desire to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to enable educated discussions with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some employers. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.