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

As part of a group of about 30 job hunters, [empty] she attended a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

«I just try to take advantage of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to use, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,» she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than work in numerous markets, 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 from state agencies, who shared their experiences and internship.af responded to questions. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were readily available to respond to employing concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor 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, https://www.elitistpro.com/ the task fair is «a low-stress, low-pressure chance to find out what type of chances exist here outdoors your back door,» said Christopher Gentz, transition services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

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

To prepare for them, «gown 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 ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s goals was to assist individuals learn more about career chances and how their skills align with them, sowjobs.com Gentz said.

Education is an essential benefit of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re «not prepared to make that dive yet,» or they have actually seen the available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

«We see that essentially every year,» he stated. «We want them to make an educated choice about their profession.»

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, including credit reports, budgets 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 stated, «but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?»

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are searching for – consisting of certifications, horizonsmaroc.com accreditations and education – and finding out about their employing practices, Handoe said.

«You should be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later down the road,» he stated.

That preparation work includes preparing for job fairs.

«You need to enter into a working with reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,» Handoe stated.

He discussed that participants ought to determine the business they wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke with some recruiters. A senior information technology professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she desires to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.