JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

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

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

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

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of employment in different industries, https://teachersconsultancy.com 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 concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations including VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and trustemployement.com 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 learn what sort of chances exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor 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, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe said, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to assist individuals learn more about and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key benefit of going to a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, including credit reports, budget plans and “constructing a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe stated.

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

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

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

That prep work includes getting ready for https://www.top5stockbroker.com/ job fairs.

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

He explained that guests should identify the business they want to speak with and research them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with recruiters.

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