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 job she’s preparing for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job candidates, 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 use, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than employment in different industries, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and job the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were offered to answer hiring concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and job 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 opportunity to learn what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task 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 job 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 said, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to assist people learn about profession chances and how their abilities align with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential benefit of attending a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the readily available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that basically every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an informed decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, reports, budget plans and “building a nest egg 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 someday,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are searching for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work includes getting ready for task fairs.

“You require to enter into a hiring fair with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.

He discussed that attendees ought to identify the companies they want to consult with and research study them ahead of time, to permit for informed conversations with employers.

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