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 chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than work in different markets, made it various than others on the setup. 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 addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were available to answer working with 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 occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what type of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager 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 get ready for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s goals was to assist individuals find out about profession chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential advantage of attending a task fair, job as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the is discovering finances, including credit reports, spending plans and “constructing a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he said, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their employing practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for job fairs.

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

He described that attendees ought to pinpoint the companies they wish to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke with some employers. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.