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 applicants, she participated in a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, rather than work in different industries, made it different 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 agencies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were available to respond to working with questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift 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 task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to find out what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” said 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, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

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

One of the task fair’s goals was to assist individuals learn more about career chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key benefit of participating in a job fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the offered opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, including credit reports, referall.us budget plans and “building a nest egg 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 stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and discovering about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

“You should be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do later on down the road,” he said.

That prep work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

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

He described that guests need to identify the companies they want to speak with and research them ahead of time, to permit informed conversations with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task fair and spoke with some employers. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.