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 getting ready for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job applicants, she attended a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to use, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than employment in numerous industries, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were offered to address working with concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor job.honline.ma for the TAP.

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

A quarterly occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what kind of chances exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor jobidream.com 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, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a “fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe said, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s objectives was to assist individuals find out about profession chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key benefit of participating in a job fair, working.co.ke as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the offered opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

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

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

Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are searching for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe said.

“You need to be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do later on down the road,” he stated.

That preparation work consists of preparing for job fairs.

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

He explained that attendees should identify the companies they desire to talk to and research them ahead of time, to enable for educated conversations with employers.

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