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 getting ready for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she participated in a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than employment in various industries, 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 veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state firms were offered to address working with questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor empleosrapidos.com for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations 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 event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 event 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 said.

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

One of the job fair’s goals was to help people learn more about profession and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial benefit of attending a job fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available chances and sowjobs.com decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is learning about finances, including credit reports, budgets and “building 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, “however while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their working with practices, inquiry Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

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

He discussed that attendees must determine the companies they wish to talk with and research study them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some recruiters. A senior careers.ebas.co.ke infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.