JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities
JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, horizonsmaroc.com Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military 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 participated in a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession 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 has to provide, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.
The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than employment in numerous 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 addressed concerns. Following the panel, [empty] employers from state firms were available to answer employing questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition 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 occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what sort of chances exist here outside your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.
Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 event 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 introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe said, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.
Among the task fair’s objectives was to help people learn more about profession opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.
Education is an essential advantage of going to a task reasonable, https://horizonsmaroc.com as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.
“We see that generally every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an informed decision about their career.”
Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, consisting of credit reports, USSD financial budget plans and “building a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.
“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”
Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and https://horizonsmaroc.com/entreprises/findspkjob schooling – and weldersfabricators.com finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.
“You should be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do later down the road,” he stated.
That prep work consists of getting ready for job fairs.
“You require to enter into a working with reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.
He explained that attendees need to determine the business they wish to speak with and research them ahead of time, to permit educated with recruiters.
Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and talked to some employers. A senior info innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.
