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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job candidates, she attended a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to use, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of employment in various markets, made it various 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 agencies, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were available to address employing questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; of Children, Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to find out what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, transition 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 “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to help individuals learn more about career opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential benefit of attending a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the available chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that generally every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an educated choice about their career.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “developing a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are searching for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and referall.us finding out about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work includes getting ready for job fairs.

“You require to go into a hiring fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.

He explained that participants must pinpoint the business they desire to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and talked with some recruiters. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.