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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she attended a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply try to take benefit of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to use, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than employment in various industries, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and [empty] the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were available to address working with concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, Youth and Families; Department of Social and MATURE OFFICE PORN & SEX PICTURES 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 find out what type of opportunities exist here outdoors 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 prepare for them, “dress 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 stated, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s goals was to help people discover career opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the offered opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that generally every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an educated decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, including credit reports, budgets and “developing a nest egg so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.

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

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

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

That prep work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

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

He described that guests must identify the they desire to speak to and www.opad.biz research study them ahead of time, to permit informed conversations with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task fair and consulted with some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.