JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. - Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan's military exit date is a couple of weeks away, and akrs.ae she's preparing for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task applicants, she went to a hiring 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 needs to use, simply to ensure I'm as prepared as possible," she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than employment in different markets, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and hireblitz.com the TAP, [empty] it began with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were offered to to working with questions, 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, the task fair is "a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what kind of chances exist here outdoors your back door," stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor 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 prepare for them, "dress for success," bring your resume and practice your elevator horizonsmaroc.com pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a "fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you're aiming to do," Handoe stated, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair's objectives was to assist people learn about career opportunities and wamc1950.com how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential advantage of attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they're "not prepared to make that dive yet," or they have actually seen the offered opportunities and decide to continue serving, [empty] Gentz stated.

"We see that essentially every year," he stated. "We want them to make an educated choice about their career."

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and "constructing a nest egg 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 stated, "however while you're in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?"

Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are trying to find - including certifications, accreditations and schooling - and discovering 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 job fairs.

"You require to enter into a hiring fair with a strategy of what you're going to do and not simply meander around," Handoe said.

He explained that guests must determine the companies they wish to consult with and research them ahead of time, to enable for informed conversations with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and consulted with some employers. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.