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 task candidates, she went to a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than employment in different industries, 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 firms, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were available to respond to working with questions, teachersconsultancy.com stated 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 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 door,” said Christopher Gentz, rightlane.beparian.com transition services supervisor 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, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

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

One of the job fair’s goals was to help people learn more about profession chances and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a key advantage of attending a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered opportunities and choose to continue serving, [empty] Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budgets 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, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

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

He explained that guests need to determine the they wish to talk to and research them ahead of time, to permit for informed discussions with employers.

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