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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 preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she went to a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I simply try to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to use, simply to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.
The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than employment in various markets, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were readily available to respond to working with questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor 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 Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
A quarterly occasion, hirerightskills.com the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, shift 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, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.
An elevator pitch is a “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the is taught as part of the TAP.
Among the job fair’s objectives was to help people discover career chances and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.
Education is a key advantage of attending a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.
“We see that basically every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an informed decision about their profession.”
Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “constructing a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.
“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he said, “however while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”
Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, starttrainingfirstaid.com.au seeing what individuals in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and discovering their hiring practices, Handoe said.
“You need to be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do later on down the roadway,” he stated.
That preparation work consists of getting ready for task fairs.
“You need to enter into a working with reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.
He explained that attendees must pinpoint the companies they wish to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to enable for informed conversations with recruiters.
Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task fair and consulted with some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, [Redirect-302] she has found she desires to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.
