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 candidates, she went to a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

« I just try to take benefit of 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 task fair on state work, rather than work in various markets, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, sowjobs.com WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state firms, https://teachersconsultancy.com/ who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were readily available to respond to working with questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies consisting of 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 job fair is « a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what sort of chances exist here outdoors 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, studentvolunteers.us July 10 and Sept. 11.

To prepare 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 said, mentioning that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s objectives was to help individuals learn more about and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key advantage of attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re « not prepared to make that dive yet, » or they have seen the available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

« We see that essentially every year, » he stated. « We want them to make an educated decision about their career. »

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and « constructing a nest egg 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 everything you can to prepare to go out? »

Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, https://studentvolunteers.us/employer/ready-4hr/ seeing what people in the outdoors world are trying to find – including certifications, accreditations and education – and [empty] discovering their working with practices, essencialponto.com.br Handoe stated.

« You must be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do later on down the roadway, » he said.

That preparation work includes preparing for job fairs.

« You need to enter into an employing fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around, » Handoe stated.

He discussed that participants need to identify the business they wish to talk to and research them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with recruiters.

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