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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job hunters, she participated in an employing reasonable 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 use, just to make sure I'm as prepared as possible," she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state work, instead of employment in numerous markets, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were offered to address employing questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for careers.ebas.co.ke the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations including VERG, WorkSource and https://teachersconsultancy.com/employer/147809/seedvertexnetwork Washington State's Department of Veterans Affairs and thematragroup.in VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, Youth and Small Amount Loan 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 out what type of opportunities exist here outside your back door," stated Christopher Gentz, transition 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 "fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you're seeking to do," Handoe said, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair's objectives was to help people learn more about career chances and [empty] how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential benefit of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they're "not prepared to make that jump yet," or [empty] they have seen the available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

"We see that essentially every year," he said. "We desire them to make an educated decision about their career."

Part of the education piece is discovering about finances, consisting of credit reports, budgets and "building a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it's time to go out," Handoe said.

"Everybody's going to get out of the Army sooner or later," he said, "however while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?"

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are trying to find - including accreditations, [empty] accreditations and schooling - and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

"You must be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do in the future down the roadway," he stated.

That prep work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

"You require to enter into a working with reasonable with a plan of what you're going to do and not just meander around," Handoe stated.

He discussed that attendees need to identify the companies they wish to consult with and research study them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some recruiters. A senior info innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.