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 job candidates, she attended a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, simply to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than employment 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 companies, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were readily available to respond to hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for 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 event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what type of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional 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 job pitch, Gentz stated.

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

Among the job fair’s objectives was to help people find out about profession opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, job Gentz said.

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

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “constructing a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe stated.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are looking for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and discovering their hiring practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

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

He discussed that attendees must pinpoint the business they wish to speak to and research them ahead of time, to enable for informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and talked with some recruiters. A senior information technology specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, job she has discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.