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 preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job applicants, she attended a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than work in different markets, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, [empty] it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were available to answer employing questions, 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 event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to learn what kind of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager 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 get ready for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and teachersconsultancy.com practice your elevator pitch, thematragroup.in Gentz stated.

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

One of the task fair’s goals was to assist individuals find out about career opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the offered opportunities and sports betting choose to continue serving, hornyofficebabes.com/pics-blonde/ Gentz said.

“We see that basically every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an informed choice about their career.”

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “developing 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 one day,” 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 people in the outdoors world are trying to find – consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling – and learning about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work includes preparing for job fairs.

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

He described that attendees ought to pinpoint the business they wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, to allow for educated conversations with recruiters.

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