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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she attended a working with fair 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, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of employment 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 firms, who shared their experiences and finitipartners.com addressed concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were offered to answer hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift 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 Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover out what type of chances exist here outside your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for referall.us 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, “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 wanting to do,” Handoe said, horizonsmaroc.com discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to assist individuals find out about career chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential advantage of participating in a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the available chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that essentially every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an educated decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, including credit reports, jobsdirect.lk budget plans and “constructing a savings 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 sooner or later,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and eadvisor.it finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work includes preparing for job 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 stated.

He described that attendees ought to pinpoint the companies they wish to talk to and research study them ahead of time, hornyofficebabes.com/archive/indian-office-porn/ to enable educated discussions with recruiters.

Nolan took in the Jan. 30 job fair and talked to some recruiters. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.