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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 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 seekers, 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 has to use, 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 markets, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were readily available to address employing questions, job said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor job 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 occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what kind of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift 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 get ready for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “quick 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 help individuals find out about profession opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, including credit reports, job budget plans and “constructing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe stated.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he stated, “however while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are looking for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for job fairs.

“You require to go into an employing reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe said.

He described that attendees ought to identify the business they desire to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to permit educated conversations with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some recruiters. A senior info innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.