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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 preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task hunters, she went to an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just attempt to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of employment in different markets, https://redefineworksllc.com/employer/opad made it various than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, linked web site WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were readily available to respond to hiring concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager 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, Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and lakarjobbisverige.se Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” 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 said.

An elevator pitch is a “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the ability 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 skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial benefit of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the offered opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that essentially every year,” he said. “We desire them to make an educated decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, inquiry including credit reports, spending plans and “developing a savings so you have something to deal 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 remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling – and learning about their working with practices, .

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

That prep work includes preparing for task fairs.

“You need to go into a hiring reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.

He explained that attendees must pinpoint the business they want to talk with and research them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke to some recruiters. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.