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 employment she’s preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job applicants, she participated in an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession 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 provide, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than work in different markets, 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 agencies, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were offered to respond to working with concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager 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 event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover out what type of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 event will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.

To prepare for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and employment practice your pitch, Gentz stated.

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

One of the task fair’s goals was to help people learn about profession chances and how their skills align with them, employment Gentz said.

Education is an essential benefit of participating in 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 actually seen the available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that generally every year,” he said. “We want them to make an informed decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is learning about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “developing a nest egg so you have something to work with when it’s time to go 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 likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are searching for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work includes preparing for job fairs.

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

He discussed that guests must identify the business they wish to consult with and research study them ahead of time, to allow for educated conversations with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and talked to some recruiters. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.