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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she attended a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just attempt to make the most of 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 task fair on state employment, instead of employment in different industries, made it various than others on the installation. 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 responded to questions. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were offered to answer hiring concerns, said 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 occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to learn what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, referall.us shift services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

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

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

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

Among the job fair’s goals was to assist people discover about profession chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential benefit of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is learning about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “constructing a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

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

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

That preparation work includes for task fairs.

“You need to go into a hiring reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe said.

He discussed that attendees must determine the business they wish to speak with and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some employers. A senior info innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.