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

As part of a group of about 30 task applicants, she attended a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to use, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than employment in various industries, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and [empty] answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were offered to answer working with questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies 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 occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what kind of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for studentvolunteers.us the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and [empty] Sept. 11.

To prepare for them, “dress 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 looking to do,” Handoe stated, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the task fair’s objectives was to help individuals learn more about career opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

is a key benefit of attending a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the readily available chances and [empty] decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, consisting of credit reports, horizonsmaroc.com budget plans and “constructing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for – including certifications, accreditations and education – and discovering their working with practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work consists of preparing 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 described that guests ought to pinpoint the business they desire to speak with and research study them ahead of time, to enable educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and consulted with some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, [empty] she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.