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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

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

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

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of employment in numerous markets, 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 answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were offered to answer employing questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies 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 chance to discover what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, referall.us 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 elevator pitch is a “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe said, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s objectives was to assist people discover about career chances and how their abilities align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key advantage of attending a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “developing a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are looking for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He discussed that attendees must pinpoint the business they wish to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to enable educated conversations with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and consulted with some employers. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.