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 applicants, she went to an employing reasonable 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 has to use, just to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than work in different industries, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were readily available to address hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift 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 occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to find out what sort of chances exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition 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, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe stated, referall.us pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

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

Education is a crucial advantage of attending a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “developing 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 at some point,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and discovering about their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work includes getting ready for job fairs.

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

He discussed that participants must pinpoint the companies they want to speak to and research them ahead of time, to enable for informed discussions with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task fair and consulted with some employers. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she desires to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.