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

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

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of work in numerous markets, made it various 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 companies, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were available to answer employing concerns, 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 Program; Department of Children, Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, referall.us Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor 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 prepare for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “fast introduction 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 task fair’s objectives was to help people discover about profession chances and how their abilities align with them, Gentz said.

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

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, including credit reports, budgets and “building a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday,” he stated, “however while you’re 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 trying to find – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

“You should be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do in the future down the roadway,” he said.

That preparation work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

“You require to enter into a working with reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.

He discussed that participants must determine the business they want to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 job fair and talked with some recruiters. A senior information technology expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.