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 preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task applicants, 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 has to use, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the 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 the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were available to address working with questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations consisting of VERG, employment 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 chance to learn what kind of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager 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, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator employment pitch, employment Gentz stated.

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

Among the task fair’s goals was to help people discover about profession chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

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

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “developing a savings 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 sooner or later,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

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

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

That preparation work includes getting ready for job fairs.

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

He discussed that participants must identify the companies they want to consult with and research them ahead of time, to allow for educated conversations with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and employment spoke with some recruiters. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.