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 task applicants, she attended a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM's Hawk Career Center.

"I just attempt to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, simply to ensure I'm as prepared as possible," she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of employment in numerous markets, [empty] made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and linked web site the TAP, jobvn24.com it started with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were available to working with concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for horizonsmaroc.com the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including VERG, 24-Hour Loan 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 task fair is "a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door," said Christopher Gentz, shift services manager 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 stated.

An elevator pitch is a "fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you're seeking to do," Handoe said, 64.227.136.170 mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair's goals was to help people discover profession chances and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential benefit of going to a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they're "not all set to make that dive yet," or they have seen the available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

"We see that generally every year," he said. "We desire them to make an informed choice about their career."

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budgets and "building 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 at some point," he said, "but while you're in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?"

Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are trying to find - consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling - and learning more about their working with practices, www.opad.biz Handoe said.

"You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later down the roadway," he said.

That preparation work includes 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 attendees should determine the companies they wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, to enable for educated discussions with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some employers. 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 role.