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Founded Date October 16, 1930
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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 preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she participated in an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I simply try to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to use, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.
The focus of the task fair on state work, rather than employment in numerous 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 responded to concerns. Following the panel, from state agencies were available to address working with concerns, stated Frank Handoe, employment deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.
Informational tables represented organizations consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and employment VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, Youth and employment Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
A quarterly event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to learn what sort of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift 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 get ready for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.
An elevator pitch is a “fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe said, 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 abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.
Education is a crucial advantage of going to a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.
“We see that basically every year,” he said. “We desire them to make an educated choice about their profession.”
Part of the education piece is discovering finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “constructing a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.
“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”
Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are searching for – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their hiring practices, Handoe stated.
“You need to be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do in the future down the roadway,” he stated.
That preparation work consists of getting ready for job fairs.
“You need to go into a hiring reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.
He described that attendees must pinpoint the companies they desire to consult with and research them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with employers.
Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and talked to some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.