JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika exit date is a couple of weeks away, and she’s preparing for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she attended a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply try to take advantage 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 job fair on state work, [Redirect-302] rather than employment in different markets, made it different 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 companies, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were offered to answer hiring concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations 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 occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

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

To prepare for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to help people discover profession opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a key benefit of attending a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that essentially every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an educated choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, including credit reports, budgets and “constructing a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he said, “however while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are looking for – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and wamc1950.com finding out about their employing practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for Horny-Office-Babes task fairs.

“You need to go into an employing reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.

He discussed that guests should pinpoint the business they wish to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with recruiters.

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