Starseamgmt

JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, dirkohlmeier.de 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 job seekers, she went to a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances 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 use, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than employment in numerous industries, [empty] made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were available to respond to employing questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager 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 occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to find out what type of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” said 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 stated.

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

One of the job fair’s goals was to help individuals discover career opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of attending a job fair, sowjobs.com as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the offered chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans 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 someday,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are searching for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and discovering their working with practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for job fairs.

“You require to enter into a working with reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe said.

He described that guests must identify the business they desire to consult with and research them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and talked with some employers. A senior [empty] info technology professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, [empty] she has actually discovered she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.