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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

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

“I just try to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to use, just to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of employment in numerous markets, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were offered to answer hiring concerns, said Frank Handoe, employment deputy transition services supervisor employment 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, 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 type of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated 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 stated.

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

One of the task fair’s objectives was to assist individuals find out about profession chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial benefit of going to a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

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

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army one day,” he said, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are searching for employment – including accreditations, accreditations and employment schooling – 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 on down the roadway,” he stated.

That prep work consists of preparing for task fairs.

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

He discussed that guests should determine the companies they wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, to enable educated conversations with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and employment talked to some employers. A senior information innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.