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 job applicants, she participated in a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of work in numerous industries, Loan for Housewives made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, [empty] 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, employers from state agencies were readily available to answer employing concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift 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 occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift 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 stated.

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

Among the task fair’s objectives was to help people find out about career chances and how their with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential advantage of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, including credit reports, spending plans and “constructing a nest egg 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 sooner or later,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and discovering about their working with practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work includes preparing for [empty] job fairs.

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

He discussed that guests must determine the business they want to talk with and research them ahead of time, to allow for informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some recruiters. A senior details technology expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.