JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities
JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, teachersconsultancy.com 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 job hunters, she attended a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I just try to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to provide, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.
The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of work in various markets, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were available to respond to hiring questions, stated 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 occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to find out what kind 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 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and www.opad.biz Sept. 11.
To get ready for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.
An elevator [empty] pitch is a “fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe stated, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.
Among the task fair’s objectives was to help individuals find out about profession opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.
Education is a crucial benefit of attending a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the available and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.
“We see that basically every year,” he said. “We want them to make an educated choice about their career.”
Part of the education piece is learning about finances, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “constructing 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 said, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”
Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are looking for – including certifications, accreditations and thematragroup.in education – and learning more 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 roadway,” he stated.
That prep work consists of getting ready for mtglobalsolutionsinc.com task fairs.
“You require to enter into an employing reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.
He discussed that attendees need to determine the companies they desire to speak to and research them ahead of time, to enable informed discussions with recruiters.
Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task fair and consulted with some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.
