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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she attended an employing fair Jan. 30 that State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than work in various markets, 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 responded to concerns. Following the panel, employers from state firms were offered to answer working with concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and [empty] VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and studentvolunteers.us Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what sort of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor https://teachersconsultancy.com for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.

To prepare for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe stated, mentioning that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s objectives was to help people learn more about profession opportunities and dirkohlmeier.de how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

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

“We see that generally every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an educated decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “building a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.

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

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – including certifications, accreditations and education – and discovering their employing practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work includes getting ready for job fairs.

“You require to enter into a working with reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.

He described that participants ought to identify the companies they want to consult with and research study them ahead of time, to permit educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task fair and talked with some employers. A senior info technology professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.