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 job applicants, employment she attended an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, rather than employment in various 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 firms, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, employment employers from state firms were readily available to answer hiring questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift 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 employment Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover out what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

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

To get ready for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An is a “fast intro 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 task fair’s objectives was to help people learn more about profession opportunities and how their skills align with them, employment Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial benefit of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the readily available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, including credit reports, budget plans 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 sooner or later,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are trying to find – consisting of certifications, accreditations and employment education – and learning more about their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for job fairs.

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

He described that guests should determine the companies they wish to consult with and research study them ahead of time, employment to permit for educated conversations with employers.

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