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 getting ready for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she went to a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

„I just try to take advantage of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,“ she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, employment instead of employment in different industries, 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 companies, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were readily available to answer hiring concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including VERG, WorkSource and employment 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 job fair is „a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what kind of chances exist here outside your back door,“ stated Christopher Gentz, employment transition services manager 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 prepare for them, „dress for success,“ bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, employment Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a „quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,“ Handoe stated, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

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

Education is a crucial benefit of going to 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 stated. „We desire them to make an educated choice about their profession.“

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, including credit reports, budgets and „developing a nest egg 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, „however while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?“

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and employment schooling – and learning more about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work consists of preparing for task fairs.

„You need to go into an employing fair with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,“ Handoe stated.

He discussed that participants must pinpoint the companies they wish to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to enable for informed conversations with recruiters.

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