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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 applicants, she participated in an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM's Hawk Career Center.

"I just attempt to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, just to ensure I'm as prepared as possible," she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of work in different markets, made it various than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, employment WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were available to address working with concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations consisting of 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 discover what type of opportunities exist here outside your back door," said Christopher Gentz, transition 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 prepare for them, "gown for success," bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a "fast introduction 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 assist people learn more about career opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they're "not all set to make that dive yet," or employment they have actually seen the offered chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

"We see that essentially every year," he stated. "We desire them to make an educated decision about their career."

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, consisting of credit reports, budgets and "developing a nest egg 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 whatever you can to prepare to get out?"

Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are trying to find - consisting of certifications, accreditations and employment schooling - and learning more about their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

"You must be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later down the road," he stated.

That prep work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

"You require to enter into a working with reasonable with a plan of what you're going to do and not just meander around," Handoe said.

He described that participants should determine the companies they desire to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to permit for informed discussions with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and talked with some recruiters. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian .