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

As part of a group of about 30 job hunters, she attended a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, rather than employment in different industries, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were readily available to answer working with questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations including VERG, referall.us 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 type of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, shift 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 stated.

An elevator pitch is a “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe said, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s goals was to help people find out about profession opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the offered opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that generally every year,” he said. “We desire them to make an educated choice about their career.”

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

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

Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are searching for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and discovering their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work includes preparing for job fairs.

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

He described that attendees need to identify the companies they wish to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to permit educated conversations with employers.

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