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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 job hunters, she attended a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I just attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, just to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.
The focus of the job fair on state work, instead of work in various markets, MATURE OFFICE PORN & SEX PICTURES made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and 24-Hour Loan the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were available to answer working with questions, stated Frank Handoe, USSD financial deputy transition 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 studentvolunteers.us Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
A quarterly occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to find out what sort of chances 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 event 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 introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.
One of the task fair’s goals was to assist people learn about career opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.
Education is a key benefit of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.
“We see that basically every year,” he said. “We want them to make an educated decision about their profession.”
Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, and “building a savings 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 stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”
Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are searching for – including certifications, accreditations and education – and learning about their working with practices, Handoe stated.
“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do later on down the road,” he stated.
That preparation work includes getting ready for job fairs.
“You need to go into a hiring reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.
He discussed that attendees ought to identify the companies they wish to speak with and research them ahead of time, to allow for educated conversations with employers.
Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task fair and spoke with some employers. A senior details innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.