JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a few weeks away, and she’s getting ready for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

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

„I just attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to provide, simply to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,“ she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of employment in numerous industries, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were offered to address working with concerns, stated Frank Handoe, referall.us deputy shift services manager 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 task fair is „a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what kind of opportunities exist here outside your back door,“ stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task 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 elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a „fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,“ Handoe stated, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s objectives was to assist people learn about career opportunities and how their abilities align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial benefit of going to a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re „not all set to make that dive yet,“ or they have seen the readily available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

„We see that basically 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, spending 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 said, „however while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?“

Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their working with practices, Handoe said.

„You must be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do later on down the road,“ he stated.

That preparation work consists of preparing for task fairs.

„You need to go into a working with fair with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,“ Handoe stated.

He described that attendees need to pinpoint the business they wish to talk to and research them ahead of time, to permit informed conversations with employers.

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