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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job hunters, she attended an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to take benefit 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 said.

The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of employment in different markets, made it various 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 firms, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were offered to address employing questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager 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 occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what kind of chances exist here outside your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 event 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 said.

An elevator pitch is a “fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s objectives was to help individuals discover about profession opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential benefit of participating in a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, including credit reports, budgets and “building a savings 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 someday,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are trying to find – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work includes preparing for job fairs.

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

He explained that participants need to determine the companies they want to speak to and research them ahead of time, referall.us to enable for informed conversations with employers.

in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke to some recruiters. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.