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, families and she’s preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 job hunters, she participated in a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
« I just try to take benefit of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to provide, just to make certain I’m as prepared as possible, » she said.
The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of employment in various markets, made it various than others on the installation. 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 answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were offered to address working with concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.
Informational tables represented companies consisting of VERG, WorkSource and hireblitz.com 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 out what sort of chances exist here outside your back entrance, » said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.
Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 event will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.
To prepare for them, « gown for success, » bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, [empty] Gentz stated.
An elevator pitch is a « fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do, » Handoe said, mentioning that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.
Among the task fair’s goals was to help people discover profession opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.
Education is a key advantage of attending a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re « not ready to make that jump yet, » or they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.
« We see that essentially every year, » he stated. « 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 « constructing 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, « but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out? »
likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their working with practices, Handoe stated.
« You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do later on down the roadway, » he stated.
That preparation work consists of getting ready for task fairs.
« You require to enter into a hiring fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around, » Handoe stated.
He discussed that guests need to pinpoint the companies they wish to speak with and research study them ahead of time, to enable educated conversations with employers.
Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job fair and talked to some employers. A senior information technology professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.
