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 she’s preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she participated in an employing fair 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 use, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than employment in different industries, made it various than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, centerfairstaffing.com WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their and answered concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were readily available to answer hiring concerns, stated 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, Youth and 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 chance to discover what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, [empty] shift 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, “dress for success,” bring your resume and HORNYOFFICEBABES.COM/ARCHIVE/MOVIES-HOMEMADE/ practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a “fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe said, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the task fair’s goals was to assist individuals learn more about profession chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the offered chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that generally every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an informed choice about their career.”

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “developing a nest egg 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 sooner or later,” he stated, “however while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are trying to find – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for job fairs.

“You need to go into a working with reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.

He described that participants need to determine the business they desire to consult with and research study them ahead of time, to enable educated discussions with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke with some employers. A senior info technology expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.