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 job hunters, she went to an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to provide, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than work in various 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 responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were offered to answer working with questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations including 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 occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what type of chances exist here outside your back door,” 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 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 “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe said, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s goals was to help individuals learn more about career opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, including credit reports, budget plans and “constructing 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 at some point,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what in the outside world are looking for referall.us – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their working with practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for task fairs.

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

He explained that guests should determine the business they want to speak to and research them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job fair and talked with some recruiters. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.