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

As part of a group of about 30 job candidates, she attended an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career 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 provide, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state work, job rather than work in numerous markets, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, job WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were offered to address employing concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor 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, job Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, job the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover out what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task 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 “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe said, job mentioning that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

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

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

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

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

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday,” he said, “however while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling – and discovering their employing practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work consists of preparing for job fairs.

“You need to go into an employing reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.

He that attendees should identify the companies they want to talk with and research study them ahead of time, to allow for educated conversations with employers.

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