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 getting ready for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task hunters, she attended a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession 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 provide, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than work in different markets, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, elitistpro.com it started with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and [empty] addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were available to respond to employing concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including VERG, [empty] WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and recruitment.transportknockout.com 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 opportunity to learn what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor 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 get ready for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator www.opad.biz pitch, Gentz said.

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

Among the task fair’s objectives was to assist individuals find out about profession chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential advantage of participating in a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that generally every year,” he said. “We want them to make an educated decision about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, including credit reports, budgets and “building a savings 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 at some point,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, 24-Hour Loan seeing what people in the outside world are looking for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and discovering about their employing practices, Handoe said.

“You should be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do in the future down the roadway,” he stated.

That prep work includes getting ready for job fairs.

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

He described that guests ought to identify the companies they wish to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to enable for informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and spoke to some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.