JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Staff Nolan’s military exit 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 task candidates, she went to a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than work in different markets, 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 addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were available to address hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager 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 event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to find out what sort of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated 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 celest-interim.fr Sept. 11.

To get ready for them, “dress 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, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s objectives was to help individuals learn more about profession chances and [empty] how their skills line up with them, HORNYOFFICEBABES.COM/ARCHIVE/MOVIES-HOMEMADE/ Gentz said.

Education is an essential benefit of going to a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “building a nest egg so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

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

Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and learning more about their hiring 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 preparation work includes preparing for job fairs.

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

He discussed that guests should determine the companies they want to consult with and research them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke with 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 function.