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 task candidates, she participated in a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state employment, linked web site rather than employment in numerous industries, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, sowjobs.com WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state firms, hireblitz.com who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were readily available to respond to working with questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor 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 Small Amount Loan Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what type of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, teachinthailand.org 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 [empty] Sept. 11.

To prepare for them, “gown 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 seeking to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s goals was to help individuals find out about profession chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin 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 said.

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “building 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 one day,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

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

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

That prep work consists of preparing for task fairs.

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

He described that guests must pinpoint the companies they desire to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to allow for educated discussions with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and talked to some employers. A senior details innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.