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 preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she attended an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk .

“I just try to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of employment in numerous industries, 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 questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were available to respond to hiring concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor 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 event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what kind of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, referall.us 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 prepare 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 said, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s objectives was to help people learn more about profession chances and how their abilities align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a key benefit of attending a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the offered chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, including credit reports, budgets and “developing 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 at some point,” he said, “however while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and discovering their hiring practices, Handoe said.

“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 preparing for task fairs.

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

He described that participants should pinpoint the business they wish to talk to and 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 infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.