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

“I just attempt to take advantage of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, simply to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, employment rather than employment in various industries, made it different than others on the setup. 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 answered questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were available to answer employing questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for employment the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations including VERG, WorkSource and employment Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, Youth and employment 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 kind of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

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 employment practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

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

One of the job 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 attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the offered chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

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

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

Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are searching for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their working with practices, employment Handoe said.

“You need to be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do in the future down the road,” he stated.

That prep work includes getting ready for task fairs.

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

He explained that guests must pinpoint the business they want to talk to and research them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with recruiters.

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