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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job applicants, she went to an employing 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 sure I’m as prepared as possible,“ she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than employment in different 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, horizonsmaroc.com who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were available to respond to working with questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor 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, hornyofficebabes.com/archive/indian-office-porn/ Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and horizonsmaroc.com Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the job fair is „a low-stress, low-pressure chance to find out what type of chances exist here outside your back entrance,“ stated 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 wanting to do,“ Handoe said, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s goals was to help people learn about profession chances and how their abilities align 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 readily available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

„We see that basically every year,“ he stated. „We desire them to make an educated decision about their career.“

Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, including credit reports, budget 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 one day,“ he said, „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 outside world are trying to find – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their employing practices, Handoe said.

„You should be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do later down the roadway,“ he said.

That prep work includes preparing for task fairs.

„You need to enter 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 participants need to pinpoint the companies they wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, https://www.opad.biz/employer/connect-201/ to enable informed discussions with recruiters.

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