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 preparing for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 task applicants, she went to a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I simply attempt to make the most of 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 job fair on state employment, instead of employment in different markets, made it various 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 concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were available to answer working with questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.
Informational tables represented organizations 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 task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what kind of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.
Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion will be held May 8, [empty] July 10 and Sept. 11.
To prepare for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.
An elevator pitch is a “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe said, mentioning that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.
One of the task fair’s objectives was to help people find out about profession opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.
Education is an essential advantage of attending a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.
“We see that essentially every year,” he said. “We desire them to make an informed decision about their career.”
Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, consisting of credit reports, Horny-Office-Babes spending plans and “building a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe stated.
“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he stated, “however while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”
Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are looking for – consisting of certifications, linked web site accreditations and education – and learning about their hiring practices, Loan for Housewives Handoe stated.
“You need to be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do later on down the road,” he stated.
That preparation work of preparing for job fairs.
“You need to enter into a hiring reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.
He discussed that attendees need to identify the business they wish to talk with and research study them ahead of time, to permit educated discussions with employers.
Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task reasonable and talked to some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, akinsemployment.ca she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.