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 getting ready for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, thematragroup.in she went to a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, rather than employment in different industries, 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, [empty] who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were available to answer hiring concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for https://www.opad.biz/ the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations including VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and Other Loans VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and recruitment.transportknockout.com Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to find out what kind of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion 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 said.

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

Among the job fair’s goals was to assist people learn more about profession opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key advantage of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the available chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “developing a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe stated.

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

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

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

That preparation work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

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

He discussed that attendees should identify the business they wish to speak to and research them ahead of time, to permit for educated conversations with .

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