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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she attended an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just attempt to take advantage of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to use, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, 64.227.136.170 instead of employment in numerous 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 agencies, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, employers from state firms were available to answer working with 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, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, www.opad.biz the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job 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 said.

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

One of the job fair’s goals was to assist individuals find out about career chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial benefit of in a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, consisting of credit reports, 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 sooner or later,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are searching for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and discovering about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

“You must be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do later on down the road,” he stated.

That preparation work consists of preparing for pakgovtnaukri.pk task fairs.

“You need to go into a working with reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe said.

He explained that attendees must identify the business they want to speak to and research them ahead of time, to allow for informed discussions with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke to some recruiters. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.