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 task seekers, she participated in a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to provide, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than work in numerous markets, made it different 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 companies, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state firms were readily available to respond to hiring concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for horizonsmaroc.com 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 event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover out what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” 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, rhea-recrutement.com July 10 and Sept. 11.

To get ready for them, “dress 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 stated, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s objectives was to help people discover about career opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a key benefit of participating in a task fair, 24-Hour Loan as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, including credit reports, spending plans and “constructing 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 someday,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and learning about their employing practices, Handoe stated.

“You should be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do in the future down the road,” he stated.

That preparation work includes preparing for job fairs.

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

He explained that guests need to pinpoint the they want to talk with and research study them ahead of time, to permit informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and talked to some recruiters. 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 role.