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 getting ready for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job hunters, she participated in an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply try to take advantage 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 employment, employment rather than employment in various industries, made it various than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of from state firms, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were offered to answer hiring concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including VERG, WorkSource and employment 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 discover what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services manager 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, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

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

Among the job fair’s goals was to assist people find out about career opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of attending a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and employment choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, consisting of 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 someday,” he said, “but 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 individuals in the outdoors world are looking for – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

“You need 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 getting ready for job fairs.

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

He discussed that guests ought to determine the business they want to talk to and research them ahead of time, to allow for educated conversations with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke with some employers. A senior details innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.