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 employment she’s preparing for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she participated in a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career 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 ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than employment in numerous industries, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and 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 firms were available to respond to working with concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor 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 event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what kind of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion 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 “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s goals was to help people find out about profession chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

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

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “constructing a nest egg 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 whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are trying to find – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and discovering about their employing practices, Handoe stated.

“You must be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do in the future down the roadway,” he stated.

That prep work includes preparing for task fairs.

“You require to go into an employing reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.

He described that attendees should identify the companies they wish to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task fair and spoke with some employers. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Unit, she has actually discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.