JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Staff Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a few weeks away, and she’s preparing for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

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

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

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than work in different markets, made it different 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 responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were readily available to address employing questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations consisting of VERG, WorkSource and sports betting 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 chance to discover what type of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for myteacherspool.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 prepare for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and inquiry practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “fast introduction 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 job fair’s goals was to assist individuals learn more about profession opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial benefit of attending a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that generally every year,” he said. “We want them to make an educated decision about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, including credit reports, spending plans and “building 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 someday,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are searching for 이지론 – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do later on down the road,” he said.

That prep work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

“You need to go into a working with reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.

He discussed that guests should pinpoint the business they want to speak with and research them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke to some employers. A senior details innovation professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.