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, tawtheaf.com and she’s preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job applicants, she went to an employing fair Jan. 30 that State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state employment, inquiry instead of work in different markets, made it various 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 answered concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were available to answer hiring concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor 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 occasion, teachersconsultancy.com the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what type of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition 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 Small Amount Loan practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

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

Among the task fair’s goals was to help individuals find out about career opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

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

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, including credit reports, budgets and “developing a nest egg 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 stated, “but while you’re 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 outdoors world are searching for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and learning more about their working with practices, matchboyz.nl Handoe said.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for task fairs.

“You need to go into a hiring reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.

He explained that guests should determine the companies they wish to consult with and research study them ahead of time, to permit informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and talked with some employers. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.