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 job seekers, she went to a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of employment in various industries, thehispanicamerican.com made it various 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 jobs.assist-staffing.com addressed concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were available to respond to hiring concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager 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 Health Services, Community Services Division; and yiyanmyplus.com Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor for findmynext.webconvoy.com 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, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator horizonsmaroc.com pitch is a “fast intro 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.

Among the task fair’s goals was to assist individuals discover career opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key advantage of going to a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, including credit reports, budgets and “constructing a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army one day,” he said, “however while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are searching for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

“You should be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do in the future down the roadway,” he said.

That prep work includes getting ready for .

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

He explained that guests should pinpoint the companies they desire to consult with and research study them ahead of time, to permit for informed conversations with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and consulted with some employers. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.