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

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

The focus of the job fair on state work, 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 began with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were available to answer hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; of Children, Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what kind of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services manager 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 prepare for them, “dress 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 wanting to do,” Handoe stated, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the task fair’s objectives was to assist individuals learn about career chances and how their abilities align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a key benefit of going to a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“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, consisting of credit reports, spending plans 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 at some point,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are trying to find – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work consists of preparing for job fairs.

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

He discussed that guests should determine the companies they desire to talk with and research them ahead of time, to permit informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and talked to some recruiters. A senior info innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.