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 preparing for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 job hunters, referall.us she went to a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I simply attempt to take benefit of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, simply to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.
The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of employment in various industries, 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 addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were readily available to answer hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift for the TAP.
Informational tables represented companies consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, Youth and Families; Department of Social and http://grainfather.co.uk/ Health Services, Community Services Division; and [empty] Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
A quarterly occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover out what type of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for 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 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 ability is taught as part of the TAP.
Among the job fair’s goals was to help individuals find out about profession chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.
Education is an essential benefit of attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the readily available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.
“We see that basically every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an informed decision about their profession.”
Part of the education piece is learning about finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “building a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.
“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he stated, “however while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”
Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are trying to find – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and discovering about their hiring practices, Handoe said.
“You need to be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do in the future down the road,” he stated.
That preparation work includes getting ready for job fairs.
“You need to go into a working with fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.
He described that attendees need to determine the business they wish to speak with and research them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with recruiters.
Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and talked with some employers. A senior info innovation professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.
