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

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

“I simply try to benefit from 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 job fair on state work, instead of work in numerous markets, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, job WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, job recruiters from state agencies were readily available to respond to employing questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s 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 job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to find out what sort of chances exist here outside your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor for job the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion 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 intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s objectives was to assist individuals learn about profession opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a key advantage of going to a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “building a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.

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

Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are searching for – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and discovering their working with practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

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

He explained that participants ought to pinpoint the business they wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, to permit informed conversations with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some employers. A senior information innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.