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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

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

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

The focus of the job fair on state work, instead of work in various markets, made it different 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 concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were readily available to address employing questions, said Frank Handoe, services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations 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, referall.us 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 kind of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor 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, “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 wanting to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the task fair’s objectives was to assist individuals learn more about profession chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential advantage of participating in a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering about financial resources, including credit reports, spending plans and “building a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.

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

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are searching for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work includes getting ready for job fairs.

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

He explained that attendees must determine the companies they want to speak to and research them ahead of time, to enable educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 job fair and talked with some recruiters. A senior details technology professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.