JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities
JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Staff Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a few weeks away, and she’s preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 task applicants, she participated in a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I just attempt to take benefit of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, simply to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.
The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than employment in numerous markets, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, hirerightskills.com it started with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were offered to respond to hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.
Informational tables represented organizations consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, thematragroup.in 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 learn what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager 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 said, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.
Among the task fair’s objectives was to assist people find out about career opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.
Education is a key advantage of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.
“We see that essentially every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an educated choice about their profession.”
Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “building a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.
“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he said, “however while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”
Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and [empty] education – and discovering their working with practices, Handoe stated.
“You should be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later down the road,” he stated.
That prep work includes preparing for task fairs.
“You require to go into an employing fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.
He discussed that attendees ought to pinpoint the companies they desire to talk with and families research study them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with recruiters.
Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke with some employers. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she desires to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.
