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 task hunters, she attended an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than work in different industries, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were available to address employing questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor 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 job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover out what kind of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services manager 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, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

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

One of the task fair’s goals was to assist people learn about career opportunities and how their skills line up with them, .

Education is a crucial advantage of going to a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or referall.us they have actually seen the offered chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that essentially every year,” he said. “We desire them to make an educated decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “constructing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday,” he stated, “however while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and discovering their working with practices, Handoe said.

“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do in the future down the roadway,” he said.

That preparation work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He discussed that participants need to pinpoint the companies they desire to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task fair and consulted with some recruiters. A senior details innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.