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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she attended a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities 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 use, simply to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,“ she said.

The focus of the job fair on state work, instead of employment in various markets, made it different than others on the installation. 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 responded to concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were available to address employing concerns, 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 job fair is „a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what type of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,“ stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 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 pitch is a „fast intro 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 assist people discover profession chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential benefit of going to a task 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 offered opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

„We see that generally every year,“ he stated. „We want them to make an informed choice about their profession.“

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and „building a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,“ Handoe stated.

„Everybody’s going to get out of the Army one day,“ he stated, „but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?“

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

„You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do later on down the road,“ he said.

That prep work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

„You require to enter into a hiring reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,“ Handoe stated.

He described that attendees must determine the business they want to talk with and referall.us research them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with employers.

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