JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, teachersconsultancy.com 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 applicants, she participated in a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply try to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to use, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of work in numerous industries, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and to questions. Following the panel, employers from state companies were available to address employing concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies 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 event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to find out what sort of chances exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services manager 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, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a “fast 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 goals was to assist people discover profession chances and how their abilities line up with them, https://teachersconsultancy.com/ Gentz stated.

Education is a key benefit of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the available opportunities and choose to continue serving, [empty] Gentz stated.

“We see that essentially every year,” he said. “We want them to make an informed choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, consisting of 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 one day,” he said, “however while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are looking for – including 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 desire to do later down the roadway,” he stated.

That prep work includes preparing for job fairs.

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

He discussed that participants should identify the companies they wish to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to permit informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and talked with some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.