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 task candidates, she participated in a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just attempt to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to use, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than employment in different markets, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and referall.us the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were readily available to address employing concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition 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 task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover out what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task 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 “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe stated, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s goals was to help people discover career opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a key benefit of going to a job fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, including credit reports, spending plans and “constructing 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 one day,” 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 outdoors world are trying to find – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and discovering about their working with practices, Handoe said.

“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 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 just meander around,” Handoe stated.

He described that guests must pinpoint the companies they want to talk to and research them ahead of time, to enable educated conversations with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and talked to some employers. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her function.