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 preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she went to an employing fair 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 has to provide, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of employment in various markets, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and job answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state companies were offered to answer hiring concerns, 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 job Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and job Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to find out what type of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” 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 prepare for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe stated, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the task fair’s objectives was to assist individuals find out about profession opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential advantage of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the offered chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that generally every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an informed choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “building a savings 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 at some point,” he stated, “however while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are trying to find – including accreditations, and schooling – and discovering their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later on down the roadway,” he said.

That preparation work consists of preparing for job fairs.

“You need to enter into an employing fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.

He discussed that participants need to identify the business they wish to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and talked to some recruiters. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.