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 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job applicants, she went to a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than employment in numerous markets, made it different than others on the setup. 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 answered concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were available to address employing questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for https://studentvolunteers.us the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including VERG, MATURE OFFICE PORN & SEX PICTURES WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and 64.227.136.170 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 job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what type of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task 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 stated.

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

Among the job fair’s goals was to help people find out about career chances and [Redirect-302] how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential benefit of participating in a task reasonable, 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 available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, including credit reports, budgets and “constructing a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are trying to find – including certifications, accreditations and education – and learning about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

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

He described that participants should determine the business they desire to consult with and research them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and www.opad.biz talked to 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 approaching civilian role.