JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, working.co.ke Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a couple of weeks away, Johnstown Housing and she’s getting ready for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

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

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, rather than employment in various markets, 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 firms, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, from state firms were available to address working with questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift 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 occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to find out what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” said 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 said.

An elevator pitch is a “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe stated, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the task fair’s objectives was to help individuals learn about career chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of attending a job fair, supremecarelink.com as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the offered chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, akrs.ae consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “building a savings 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 stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and discovering their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

“You should 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 getting ready for job fairs.

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

He explained that participants need to identify the companies they desire to speak 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 employers. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.