Overview
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Founded Date May 11, 1936
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Specializations Photography
Company Description
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 employment she’s getting ready for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she went to an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances 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 offer, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.
The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than work in various markets, made it various 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 questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were available to address working with concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager 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 opportunity to discover out what kind of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services manager 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, “gown for success,” bring your resume and employment practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.
An elevator pitch is a “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe stated, mentioning that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.
Among the job fair’s goals was to assist people find out about profession chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.
Education is a key advantage of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or employment they have actually seen the available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.
“We see that generally every year,” he said. “We want them to make an educated decision about their profession.”
Part of the education piece is learning about finances, consisting of credit reports, 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 someday,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”
Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are searching for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and finding out about their employing practices, Handoe said.
“You should be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later on down the road,” he stated.
That preparation work includes getting ready for task fairs.
“You require to go into a hiring reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.
He explained that guests must determine the companies they wish to speak with and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with recruiters.
Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 and talked to some recruiters. A senior information technology professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, employment she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.