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 job applicants, she participated in a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I simply try to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.
The focus of the task fair on state employment, https://studentvolunteers.us rather than employment in various markets, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were readily available to address working with concerns, https://horizonsmaroc.com/ stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.
Informational tables represented organizations consisting of VERG, horizonsmaroc.com 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 discover what sort of chances exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift 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 stated.
An elevator pitch is a “fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.
One of the task fair’s goals was to help individuals discover about profession chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.
Education is an essential benefit of attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and choose to serving, Gentz said.
“We see that basically every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an informed decision about their career.”
Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “developing a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.
“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army one day,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”
Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are looking for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and https://sowjobs.com schooling – and learning more about their working with practices, Handoe said.
“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do later down the road,” he stated.
That prep work consists of getting ready for job fairs.
“You need to enter into an employing fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.
He discussed that guests need to pinpoint the business they wish to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to allow for educated conversations with employers.
Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job fair and talked with some employers. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.