JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s date is a couple of weeks away, and 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 a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply try to take benefit of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to provide, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of work in various 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 firms, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were offered to address employing questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager 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 event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what sort of chances exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor 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 referall.us them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s objectives was to help individuals find out about career opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a key advantage of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the offered chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, consisting of credit reports, budgets 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 one day,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are looking for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and discovering their hiring practices, Handoe said.

“You should be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do in the future down the roadway,” he said.

That prep work consists of preparing for task fairs.

“You require to go into an employing fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe said.

He discussed that guests should pinpoint the companies they desire to speak to and research them ahead of time, to permit for informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and talked with some employers. A senior info technology expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.