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 seekers, she went to an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to use, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state work, instead of employment in different industries, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, www.opad.biz WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were readily available to address hiring questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor 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 learn what kind of chances exist here outdoors your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, https://www.opad.biz/ shift 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, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe said, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s goals was to help people discover profession chances and how their abilities align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of participating in a task reasonable, akinsemployment.ca as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or https://teachersconsultancy.com/employer/147829/heifernepal they have seen the readily available chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that generally every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an informed decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, [empty] including credit reports, spending plans and “developing a savings so you have something to work 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’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for – including certifications, centerfairstaffing.com accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their employing practices, Handoe stated.

“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later on down the road,” he said.

That prep work includes getting ready for task fairs.

“You require to go into an employing reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.

He described that participants should the business they wish to talk with and [empty] research them ahead of time, to permit educated discussions with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and talked to some recruiters. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.