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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she attended a working with 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 offer, just to ensure 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 installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and empleos.plazalama.com.do the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were offered to respond to hiring concerns, said Frank Handoe, career.ltu.bg deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations including 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 occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what kind of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job 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 wanting to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s objectives was to help people learn about career chances and hireblitz.com how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential advantage of going to a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the readily available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering about finances, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “developing a nest egg 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 someday,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

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

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

That prep work includes preparing for job fairs.

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

He explained that attendees need to determine the companies they desire to talk with and research them ahead of time, to allow for informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and consulted with 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 role.