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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 task hunters, she went to an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I simply try to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to use, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.
The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of employment in various industries, 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 firms, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were readily available to respond to employing concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager 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, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to learn what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.
Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 event 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, theboss.wesupportrajini.com Gentz said.
An elevator pitch is a “fast intro 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 job fair’s goals was to help individuals learn about career chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.
Education is an essential benefit of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the available chances and decide to continue serving, xpressrh.com Gentz said.
“We see that essentially every year,” he said. “We desire them to make an educated choice about their profession.”
Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, careerworksource.org consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “building a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.
“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he stated, “however while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”
Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are trying to find – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their employing practices, Handoe stated.
“You need to be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later on down the road,” he stated.
That preparation work includes getting ready for task fairs.
“You require to enter into a hiring reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe said.
He that attendees should pinpoint the business they wish to talk to and research them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with employers.
Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and consulted with some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, 24-Hour Loan she has found she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.
