JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s date is a couple of weeks away, and she’s preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

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

“I simply try to take benefit of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to use, just to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of work in various industries, made it various 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 addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were available to answer employing concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift 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 https://jobs.assist-staffing.com/employer/sowjobs/ Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what type of chances exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager for [empty] 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, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator [empty] pitch is a “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe said, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the task fair’s objectives was to help people learn more about career opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to 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 offered chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that generally every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an informed choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, including credit reports, [empty] spending plans and “building 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 sooner or later,” he stated, “however while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are trying to find – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and finding out about their employing practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for task fairs.

“You need to go into an employing fair with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.

He explained that attendees must pinpoint the business they wish to speak with and research study them ahead of time, to permit informed conversations with employers.

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