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 job applicants, she participated in a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

« I just attempt to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible, » she said.

The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than work in various industries, job made it various than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and job the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and job responded to . Following the panel, job employers from state companies were available to answer employing questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift 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 job 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 chance to find out what type of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance, » stated 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 get ready for them, « dress for success, » bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

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

Among the job fair’s objectives was to help people find out about profession opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

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

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, 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 said.

« Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday, » he stated, « but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out? »

Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their employing practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He discussed that attendees need to identify the business they desire to talk to and research them ahead of time, to allow for educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke with some recruiters. A senior details innovation professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.