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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 few weeks away, employment and she’s preparing for employment the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job applicants, employment she attended a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to take benefit of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to use, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, employment instead of employment in various industries, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were available to address employing concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager 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 employment Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to find out what kind of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor employment for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional like the Jan. 30 event 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 said.

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

One of the task fair’s objectives was to help individuals find out about profession chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of attending a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that essentially every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an informed choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, including credit reports, budget plans and “building a nest egg 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 one day,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are searching for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and discovering their employing practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work consists of preparing for job fairs.

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

He described that participants must determine the companies they wish to consult with and research them ahead of time, to enable for informed conversations with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke with some employers. A senior information innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.