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 candidates, she participated in a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of employment in numerous industries, teachersconsultancy.com made it different 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 companies, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were available to address working with 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, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor 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 “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe said, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s objectives was to assist individuals learn more about profession chances and hornyofficebabes.com/archive/movies-homemade/ how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

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 all set to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the available and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

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

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

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

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

That prep work includes getting ready for task 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 stated.

He discussed that guests ought to identify the business they wish to speak to and research them ahead of time, to allow for https://teachersconsultancy.com/employer/147873/jobfinders informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke to some employers. A senior information innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.