Company Overview
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Categories Creative
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Founded 1942
Company Description
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, and she’s preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she participated in a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I just attempt to take benefit of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to provide, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.
The focus of the task fair on state work, rather than employment in different markets, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state agencies, employment who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, employers from state companies were available to respond to hiring concerns, stated 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, 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 chance to discover what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” stated 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 employment Sept. 11.
To prepare for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.
An elevator pitch is a “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe stated, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.
One of the job fair’s objectives was to help individuals learn about career chances and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.
Education is an essential advantage of going to a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or employment they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.
“We see that generally every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an informed choice about their profession.”
Part of the education piece is learning about finances, including credit reports, employment budget plans and “building a nest egg so you have something to work with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe stated.
“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”
Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are searching for – consisting of accreditations, employment accreditations and schooling – and discovering their working with practices, Handoe said.
“You must be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do in the future down the road,” he stated.
That prep work consists of getting ready for task fairs.
“You need to go into an employing reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.
He explained that attendees need to determine the companies they desire to talk with and research study them ahead of time, to allow for educated discussions with employers.
Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and employment spoke to some employers. A senior info innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.