JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities
JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Staff 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 task seekers, she attended a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I just attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to provide, just to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.
The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of employment in numerous markets, made it various 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 agencies, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were offered to address employing questions, said 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 task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what sort of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition 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 prepare for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.
An elevator pitch is a “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.
One of the task fair’s goals was to help individuals find out about career opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.
Education is an essential advantage of participating in a job fair, www.opad.biz as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.
“We see that essentially every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an educated decision about their career.”
Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, including 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 someday,” he stated, “however while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”
Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, horizonsmaroc.com seeing what people in the outdoors world are trying to find – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and discovering about their working with practices, Handoe stated.
“You must be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do in the future down the roadway,” he said.
That prep work includes getting ready for [empty] task fairs.
“You need to enter into an employing fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.
He described that guests ought to determine the companies they wish to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to enable educated conversations with employers.
Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and spoke with some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.
