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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she went to a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

« I simply 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 stated.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than employment in numerous industries, made it various than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were offered to respond to working with questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, [empty] 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 chance to discover what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door, » stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor 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 prepare for them, « dress for success, » bring your resume and practice your elevator career.finixia.in pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a « fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do, » Handoe stated, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the task fair’s objectives was to assist people learn more about profession opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential benefit of attending a job fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re « not ready to make that jump yet, » or they have seen the readily available chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

« We see that basically every year, » he said. « We desire them to make an educated decision about their profession. »

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, including credit reports, spending plans and « constructing a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to go out, » Handoe stated.

« Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later, » he stated, « however while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out? »

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, https://www.opad.biz/employer/empleosrapidos/ seeing what individuals in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of accreditations, and schooling – and career.ltu.bg finding out about their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

« You must be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later on down the road, » he stated.

That prep work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

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

He discussed that participants should pinpoint the companies they wish to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with recruiters.

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