JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a couple of weeks away, and she’s preparing for Car Loan the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she attended an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State 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 ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than work in numerous markets, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were readily available to answer employing questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor 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 event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what sort of chances exist here outside your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services manager for [empty] 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, “dress 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 looking to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

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

Education is a crucial benefit of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the offered chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, including credit reports, budgets and “constructing a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.

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

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and learning more about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

“You need to be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do in the future down the road,” he said.

That prep work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

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

He described that guests must determine the companies they want to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to permit for educated discussions with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and talked with some recruiters. A senior info technology expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, 24-Hour Loan she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.