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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she went to a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than employment in numerous markets, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and Hornyofficebabes.Com/Movies-Lesbian/ the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were available to answer employing concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies consisting of VERG, WorkSource and xpressrh.com 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 job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job 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 “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the task fair’s goals was to help individuals discover profession opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key advantage of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the available 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 finding out about finances, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “constructing 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 at some point,” he said, “however while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are looking for – including certifications, accreditations and education – and celest-interim.fr discovering their employing practices, Handoe said.

“You must be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do in the future down the road,” he stated.

That preparation work includes getting ready for job fairs.

“You need to go into an employing fair with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.

He explained that guests should identify the companies they wish to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and talked with some recruiters. A senior details technology with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.