JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

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

As part of a group of about 30 task hunters, she went to a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state work, 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 started with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state firms were readily available to address working with concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations 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, referall.us Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the task fair is „a low-stress, low-pressure chance to find out what type of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,“ said 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 get ready for them, „dress for success,“ bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

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

Among the task fair’s goals was to assist individuals find out about career chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential advantage of going to a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re „not prepared to make that jump yet,“ or they have actually seen the available chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, including credit reports, spending plans and „building a nest egg 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 one day,“ he said, „but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?“

Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking 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 wish to do in the future down the roadway,“ he stated.

That prep work includes getting ready for job fairs.

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

He discussed that guests need to determine the business they desire to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to permit informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and talked with some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.