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 seekers, she participated in an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, rather than employment in numerous industries, made it different 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 addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were available to answer employing questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations consisting of VERG, WorkSource and careers.webdschool.com Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and www.opad.biz VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, hirerightskills.com Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, [empty] the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what type of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services 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 webloadedsolutions.com them, “dress 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 aiming to do,” Handoe said, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s objectives was to assist people find out about career chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to a job reasonable, Hornyofficebabes.Com/Movies-Lesbian/ as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering about finances, consisting of credit reports, spending 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 someday,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are trying to find – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and discovering about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work includes preparing for job fairs.

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

He described that attendees need to pinpoint the business they wish to speak with and research them ahead of time, to enable educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and talked to some employers. A senior info technology expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.