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 applicants, she went to a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just try to take advantage of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of work in numerous industries, made it different 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 firms, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, employment recruiters from state agencies were available to answer working with concerns, 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 task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to learn what type of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor for 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, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator employment pitch is a “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

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

Education is a crucial advantage of attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the readily available chances and decide 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 finances, consisting of credit reports, employment budget plans and “building a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and discovering about their employing practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

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

He discussed that guests ought to identify the business they wish to speak with and research study them ahead of time, to enable educated conversations with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke to some recruiters. A senior information innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.