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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 applicants, she attended a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to provide, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than work in different industries, made it different 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 companies, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were readily available to address hiring concerns, stated Frank Handoe, employment deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies 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 occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what kind of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion 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 intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe said, employment pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to assist individuals find out about career chances and how their abilities align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of participating in a job reasonable, 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 readily available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, including credit reports, spending plans and “constructing 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 one day,” he said, “however while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are looking for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work includes preparing for employment task fairs.

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

He described that attendees must determine the companies they wish to speak with and research study them ahead of time, to permit educated discussions with .

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task reasonable and spoke to some employers. A senior details innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.