JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, HORNYOFFICEBABES.COM/ARCHIVE/MOVIES-HOMEMADE/ 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 job hunters, she attended a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

«I simply attempt to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,» she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of employment in various industries, made it different 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 agencies, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were readily available to answer employing questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager for horizonsmaroc.com 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, elitistpro.com Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the job fair is «a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,» said Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor for https://horizonsmaroc.com the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task 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 said.

An elevator pitch is a «quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,» Handoe stated, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s goals was to assist people discover career opportunities and how their abilities align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key benefit of going to a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re «not prepared to make that dive yet,» or they have seen the offered chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

«We see that basically every year,» he said. «We desire them to make an informed choice about their career.»

Part of the education piece is discovering about finances, of credit reports, spending plans and «developing 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 stated, «but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?»

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their employing practices, Handoe stated.

«You must be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later down the roadway,» he stated.

That prep work consists of preparing for job fairs.

«You need to go into a hiring fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,» Handoe stated.

He explained that participants must determine the companies they wish to speak with and research them ahead of time, to enable informed discussions with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and spoke with some recruiters. 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.