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 [empty] she’s getting ready for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job hunters, she went to an employing reasonable 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 provide, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of 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 agencies, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were available to answer hiring concerns, stated Frank Handoe, job.honline.ma deputy shift manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations including 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 opportunity to find out what type of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.

To prepare for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

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

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

Education is a crucial advantage of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or https://empleos.plazalama.com.do they have seen the offered opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, including credit reports, budget plans and “developing a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.

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

Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling – and discovering their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

“You must be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do later down the roadway,” he stated.

That preparation work includes getting ready for job fairs.

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

He explained that guests need to pinpoint the companies they wish to speak to and research them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task fair and talked with some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.