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 task seekers, she participated in a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, rather than work in numerous markets, made it various 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 responded to questions. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were readily available to answer employing concerns, stated Frank Handoe, referall.us deputy shift services supervisor 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 event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what sort of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job 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 “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe said, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s objectives was to help people discover career chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

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

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

Part of the education piece is learning about financial resources, including credit reports, budget plans and “developing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe stated.

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

Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling – and discovering their employing practices, Handoe stated.

“You need to be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do in the future down the road,” he said.

That prep work includes getting ready for job fairs.

“You need to go into an employing reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe said.

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

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task reasonable and spoke with some recruiters. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.