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

“I simply try to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

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

Informational tables represented companies 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 task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to find out what type of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift for employment the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 event 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 “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe stated, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s objectives was to assist people discover profession opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “building 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 sooner or later,” he stated, “however while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

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

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

That prep work includes getting ready for task fairs.

“You need to go into a hiring fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.

He described that attendees should identify the business they wish to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to allow for educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke to some recruiters. 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 role.