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 hunters, she went to an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than work in numerous industries, made it various 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 companies, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state were readily available to answer hiring concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager 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, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, www.cbl.health the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what type of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, shift 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, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

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

One of the task fair’s objectives was to assist individuals learn more about career chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial benefit of participating in 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 offered opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out 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 at some point,” he stated, “however while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for [empty] – consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling – and discovering about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work consists of preparing for job fairs.

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

He discussed that participants must determine the business they wish to speak to and research them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some recruiters. A senior jobteck.com infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.