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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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she went to a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply try to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, simply to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of employment in different markets, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and employment the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were available to respond to working with concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and employment 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 job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover out what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, employment shift services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.

To get ready for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and employment practice your elevator employment pitch, Gentz stated.

An pitch is a “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe stated, employment pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to assist people find out about career opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential advantage of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “constructing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday,” he said, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are trying to find – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and employment finding out about their employing practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work includes getting ready for task fairs.

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

He explained that participants must determine the business they wish to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to permit for educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and spoke to some recruiters. A senior info innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.

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