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 seekers, she attended a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of work in numerous 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 companies, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were offered to answer hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies 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 opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” stated 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 referall.us Sept. 11.

To prepare for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s objectives was to help people find out about profession opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a key benefit of attending a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the offered chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “developing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and discovering their employing practices, Handoe said.

“You must 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 getting ready for job fairs.

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

He described that participants should identify the business they wish to speak to and research them ahead of time, to allow for educated discussions with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke to some employers. A senior info expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.