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 hunters, she went to a hiring 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 has to provide, simply to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.
The focus of the job fair on state work, https://teachersconsultancy.com/employer/147825/ukdemolitionjobs instead of employment in various industries, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were available to answer employing questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor 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, www.opad.biz Youth and [empty] Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
A quarterly event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover out what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager 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 get ready for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.
An elevator pitch is a “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.
One of the job fair’s objectives was to assist people discover about career opportunities and how their abilities align with them, Gentz stated.
Education is a crucial advantage of going to a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the available chances and [empty] choose 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 finding out about financial resources, including credit reports, budget plans and “developing a savings 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 someday,” he said, “however while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”
Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling – and learning about their working with practices, Handoe stated.
“You should be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do in the future down the road,” he stated.
That preparation work consists of getting ready for job fairs.
“You need to go into a hiring reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.
He explained that guests should determine the companies they wish to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with recruiters.
Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and talked to some recruiters. A senior details innovation professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.
