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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 job applicants, she went to a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
«I just attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, just to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,» she said.
The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than employment in different industries, 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 answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state firms were readily available to answer working with questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.
represented companies consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, 이지론 Youth and Families; Department of Social and dessinateurs-projeteurs.com Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
A quarterly occasion, the task fair is «a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back door,» said Christopher Gentz, yiyanmyplus.com shift services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.
Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion 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 «fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,» Handoe stated, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.
One of the job fair’s objectives was to assist individuals find out about career chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.
Education is an essential benefit of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re «not prepared to make that dive yet,» or they have actually seen the offered opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.
«We see that basically every year,» he stated. «We desire them to make an educated decision about their career.»
Part of the education piece is learning about financial resources, including credit reports, Other Loans budgets and «constructing 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 at some point,» he said, «but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?»
Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for – including certifications, accreditations and education – and learning about their hiring 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 said.
That preparation work includes getting ready for task fairs.
«You need to go into a working with reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,» Handoe said.
He explained that attendees should determine the business they wish to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to permit educated discussions with recruiters.
Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke to some recruiters. A senior details innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.