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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, and she’s getting ready for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

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

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, 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 started with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were readily available to respond to hiring concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift 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 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 out what type of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services manager for the Directorate of .

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

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

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

Among the task fair’s objectives was to help individuals find out about career opportunities and how their abilities align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial benefit of participating in a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the available opportunities and decide 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 financial resources, including credit reports, budgets and “building a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe stated.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are searching for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their employing practices, Handoe stated.

“You should be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later on down the roadway,” he said.

That preparation work includes getting ready for task fairs.

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

He explained that guests should determine the companies they wish to speak with and research study them ahead of time, to permit educated discussions with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task fair and spoke to some employers. A senior details innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.