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 getting ready for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job hunters, she went to a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than employment in numerous industries, made it various 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 answered questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were readily available to address hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies consisting of 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 discover what sort of opportunities 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 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.

To prepare for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your pitch, Gentz said.

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 ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to assist individuals discover profession opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.

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

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “developing 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 someday,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, referall.us seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do in the future down the road,” he stated.

That prep work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

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

He discussed that attendees need to identify the companies they desire to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to permit educated discussions with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and spoke with some recruiters. A senior info innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.