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 task seekers, she participated in a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to take benefit of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to provide, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than employment 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 agencies, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were offered to answer working with questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, Youth and Families; 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 entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, shift 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 get ready 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 looking to do,” Handoe stated, mentioning that the skill 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 skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential benefit of attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that dive 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 want them to make an informed choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is learning about financial resources, including credit reports, spending plans and “constructing a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are searching for referall.us – consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their employing practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for job fairs.

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

He described that attendees ought to determine the business they wish to talk with and research study them ahead of time, to enable educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task reasonable and talked to some recruiters. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.