JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

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

As part of a group of about 30 task hunters, she attended a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just attempt to take benefit of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to provide, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of employment in numerous markets, made it various than others on the installation. 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 answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were readily available to answer working with concerns, stated Frank Handoe, hornyofficebabes.com/archive/indian-office-porn/ deputy transition services manager 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, 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 opportunity to discover what kind of chances exist here outdoors your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor sports betting 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 pitch, Gentz stated.

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

Among the task fair’s objectives was to assist individuals discover profession opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a key benefit of attending a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the offered opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “developing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday,” he said, “however while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – including certifications, accreditations and education – and discovering their hiring practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

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

He described that attendees need to pinpoint the companies they wish to speak to and research them ahead of time, to permit for informed discussions with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and consulted with some recruiters. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.