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 preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she went to a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than employment in numerous markets, [empty] 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 companies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state companies were offered to address working with questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies 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 learn what type of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 event will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.

To prepare for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator hornyofficebabes.com/pics-gay/ pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe stated, that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the task fair’s goals was to help people learn about career opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.

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

“We see that generally every year,” he said. “We want them to make an educated choice about their career.”

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, including credit reports, budgets and “constructing a savings 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, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are looking for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work includes preparing for job fairs.

“You need to go into a working with fair with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.

He explained that guests ought to determine the companies they wish to speak to and research study them ahead of time, www.opad.biz to permit for educated discussions with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and consulted with some recruiters. A senior details technology expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.