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 getting ready for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she went to an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just attempt to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to use, simply to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of work in different markets, made it various than others on the installation. by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were offered to answer hiring concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift 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; 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 job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to find out what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” 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 get ready 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 looking to do,” Handoe stated, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s objectives was to help people learn more about profession opportunities and how their abilities align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or referall.us 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 choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is discovering about finances, including credit reports, budgets and “developing a savings 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 sooner or later,” he said, “however while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their employing practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

“You require to go into a working with reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.

He described that attendees ought to determine the companies they wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, to enable educated conversations with recruiters.

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