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 job candidates, she participated in an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than employment in numerous 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 firms, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were readily available to answer hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for referall.us 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 occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what type of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition 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, “gown 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, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the task fair’s objectives was to assist people discover career chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the readily available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, including credit reports, budget plans and “constructing a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he stated, “but while you’re 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 outdoors world are trying to find – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and learning more about their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work includes getting ready for task fairs.

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

He discussed that guests ought to pinpoint the they wish to speak with and research them ahead of time, to enable educated discussions with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and talked with some recruiters. A senior details technology expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.