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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job applicants, employment she participated in an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of employment in numerous markets, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and employment addressed questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were offered to address working with 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 event, employment the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to learn what type of chances exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager 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 employment practice your elevator pitch, employment Gentz stated.

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

One of the task fair’s goals was to assist people find out about profession chances and employment how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the available and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that basically every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an educated decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, including credit reports, spending plans and “developing a nest egg so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.

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

Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and learning more about their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

“You must be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do in the future down the road,” he said.

That preparation work includes getting ready for job fairs.

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

He described that participants need to pinpoint the business they wish to speak with and research them ahead of time, to enable for informed discussions with employers.

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