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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job hunters, she attended a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply try to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to provide, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of work in different industries, made it different than others on the setup. 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 answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were offered to respond to working with questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations consisting of 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 task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover out what kind 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 occasion 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 pitch is a “quick intro 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 more about profession chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key benefit of attending a task reasonable, referall.us as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the offered chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the is finding out about finances, including credit reports, spending plans and “constructing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are searching for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and discovering their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for task 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 described that guests should pinpoint the business they want to talk to and research them ahead of time, to permit educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and talked with some recruiters. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.