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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she attended a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than work in various markets, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and referall.us responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were offered to address working with questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor 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, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover out what kind of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition 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, “dress 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 looking to do,” Handoe stated, mentioning that the ability 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 align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential benefit of participating in a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have 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 educated decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, consisting of credit reports, budget 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 one day,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are searching for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and learning more about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He explained that participants must identify the they desire to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to allow for informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some recruiters. A senior information technology specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.