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 applicants, she attended a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply try to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task 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 started with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were readily available to answer employing concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations including 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 what type of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” said 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, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

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

Among the job fair’s goals was to assist individuals learn about and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential advantage of attending a task reasonable, 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 offered chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “constructing a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army one day,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

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

He discussed that participants need to identify the companies they want to speak to and research them ahead of time, to allow for educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task fair and referall.us talked with some recruiters. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.