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 task candidates, employment she participated in a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I simply try to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to use, simply to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.
The focus of the job fair on state work, instead of employment in various markets, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of from state firms, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were available to answer hiring concerns, stated Frank Handoe, 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, employment Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
A quarterly occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover out what kind of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.
Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 event will be held May 8, employment July 10 and Sept. 11.
To prepare for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and employment practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.
An elevator pitch is a “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe said, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.
One of the task fair’s goals was to help people learn about profession chances and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.
Education is an essential benefit of attending a job 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 opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.
“We see that essentially every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an informed decision about their career.”
Part of the education piece is discovering finances, including credit reports, employment spending plans and “building a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.
“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he said, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”
Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are searching for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their employing practices, Handoe said.
“You must be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do in the future down the road,” he stated.
That prep work consists of getting ready for task fairs.
“You require to enter into an employing reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.
He discussed that attendees must pinpoint the companies they want to speak with and research them ahead of time, to enable informed discussions with recruiters.
Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and spoke to some recruiters. A senior details innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, employment she has actually found she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.
