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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task hunters, she participated in a working with 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 offer, just to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

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

Informational tables represented companies including VERG, WorkSource and employment Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, employment Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to find out what kind of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and employment Sept. 11.

To get ready for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

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 skill is taught as part of the TAP.

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

Education is an essential advantage of going to a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the available and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

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

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

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

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

That prep work includes getting ready for task fairs.

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

He described that guests should identify the companies they wish to talk to and research them ahead of time, to enable informed discussions with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 job fair and employment spoke with some employers. A senior details technology professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.