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 preparing for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job hunters, she in an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities 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 offer, simply to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of employment in various markets, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, sowjobs.com WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, www.opad.biz recruiters from state companies were available to respond to employing concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for 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 occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

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

To prepare for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a “fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe stated, https://collegejobportal.in/ pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s objectives was to assist individuals find out about profession opportunities and how their skills line up with them, handsfarmers.fr Gentz stated.

Education is an essential benefit of going to a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the offered chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, including credit reports, spending plans and “constructing 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 at some point,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are searching for – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and learning about their employing practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work consists of preparing for task fairs.

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

He explained that participants need to determine the business they wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, to permit informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task fair and talked with some recruiters. A senior information innovation professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.