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 preparing for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she participated in a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession 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 has to provide, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of employment in different markets, made it different than others on the setup. 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 addressed concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were offered to answer hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations including VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and employment 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 chance to learn what kind of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” 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 get ready for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a “fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe stated, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to help people learn more about profession chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential advantage of going to a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “constructing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

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

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are trying to find – consisting of accreditations, and education – and learning more about their employing practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work consists of preparing for job fairs.

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

He explained that attendees must determine the business they desire to talk with and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke with some employers. A senior employment details innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, employment she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.