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 seekers, she participated in a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply try to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of employment in various industries, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and employment the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were offered to respond to hiring concerns, said Frank Handoe, employment deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations consisting of 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 chance to discover what sort of chances exist here outdoors your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 event will be held May 8, July 10 and employment 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 introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe stated, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to help people find out about career chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a key benefit of participating in a job fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering about financial resources, including credit reports, spending plans and “building 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 one day,” he said, “but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and discovering their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for .

“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 stated.

He discussed that participants should pinpoint the business they wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, to enable educated conversations with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and talked to some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.