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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 applicants, she participated in a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities 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 provide, simply to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than work in numerous markets, made it different 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 firms, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were offered to respond to working with concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor referall.us 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 event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor 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, “gown 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 looking to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s objectives was to assist individuals learn more about career opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to a task fair, 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 available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “developing a nest egg so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

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

Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and discovering their working with practices, Handoe stated.

“You need to be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do in the future down the road,” he stated.

That prep work includes preparing for job fairs.

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

He described that attendees should pinpoint the they desire to speak to and research them ahead of time, to enable educated discussions with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke to some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.