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 seekers, she participated in an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just try to take advantage of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to provide, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than employment in numerous 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 companies, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were readily available to answer hiring questions, [empty] said Frank Handoe, deputy shift 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 jobs.salaseloffshore.com Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, shift 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 get ready for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

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

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

Education is a key advantage of attending a task fair, sowjobs.com as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the readily available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out 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 at some point,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are looking for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their employing practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for task fairs.

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

He described that participants ought to determine the business they wish to speak with and research study them ahead of time, to enable for informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and consulted with some employers. A senior details technology professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.