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 preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she participated in an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than work in different markets, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and Small Amount Loan the TAP, dessinateurs-projeteurs.com it began with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, [empty] recruiters from state firms were offered to answer hiring concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, Youth and Loan for Housewives 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 chance to discover what sort of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and 24-Hour Loan 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 “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to assist people discover career opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential benefit of attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the available chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that essentially every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an informed decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “constructing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are trying to find – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their employing practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work consists of preparing for job fairs.

“You need to go into a hiring reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.

He discussed that attendees ought to identify the business they want to speak with and research study them ahead of time, to permit for informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and spoke with some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.