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  • Founded Date May 13, 1960

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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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job applicants, she participated in a working with 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 provide, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state work, employment rather than employment in numerous markets, made it different than others on the setup. 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 questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were available to answer working with concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor 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 opportunity to discover out what kind of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition 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 prepare for them, “gown 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 aiming to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to help individuals discover 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 learn they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that essentially every year,” he said. “We want them to make an educated decision about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is finances, including credit reports, spending plans 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 one day,” he stated, “but while you’re 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 looking for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their working with practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

“You require to go into an employing fair with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.

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

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and talked to some recruiters. A senior info innovation professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.