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 getting ready for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job candidates, she participated in a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession 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 has to use, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than work in various markets, made it various than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, from state agencies were readily available to respond to hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations consisting of VERG, WorkSource and https://internship.af 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 chance to discover out what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job 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 introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe stated, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s objectives was to help people discover career chances and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that generally every year,” he said. “We desire them to make an informed choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, https://studentvolunteers.us/employer/washcareer/ consisting of credit reports, budgets and “building a nest egg 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 one day,” he said, “however while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are trying to find – including certifications, thematragroup.in accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their employing practices, Handoe stated.

“You need to be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later down the roadway,” he said.

That prep work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

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

He described that participants need to identify the companies they desire to consult with and research them ahead of time, to permit educated conversations with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task reasonable and talked to some employers. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.