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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 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 opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than employment in numerous markets, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were offered to respond to working with 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 event, [Redirect-307] the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what type 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 occasion will be held May 8, jobsdirect.lk 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 wanting to do,” Handoe said, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s objectives was to help people find out about career opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key benefit of attending a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and decide to serving, Gentz said.

“We see that generally every year,” he said. “We want them to make an educated choice about their profession.”

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

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he stated, “however while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – including certifications, [Redirect-302] accreditations and education – and discovering their employing practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He explained that participants ought to pinpoint the companies they wish to talk with and research study them ahead of time, to permit educated discussions with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and spoke to some employers. A senior details innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.