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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 getting ready for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she participated in a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just try to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to use, just to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of employment in various industries, made it various than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were available to address employing questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations 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 occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover out what sort of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, manager 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, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe said, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s goals was to help individuals find out about career opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the readily available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that essentially every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an informed choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, including credit reports, budget plans and “developing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he stated, “however while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are trying to find – consisting of certifications, accreditations and referall.us schooling – and discovering their working with practices, Handoe stated.

“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do later down the road,” he said.

That prep work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

“You need to enter into an employing fair with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.

He described that attendees should pinpoint the companies they wish to speak with and research study them ahead of time, to permit educated conversations with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke to some recruiters. A senior information innovation professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.