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 employment the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job candidates, employment she participated in an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than work in numerous markets, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, employment WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were available to address employing concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies 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 task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what kind of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” 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 employment them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s objectives was to help people learn more about career opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial benefit of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, employment consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “developing 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 one day,” he said, “however 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 individuals in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and learning more about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later down the roadway,” he said.

That prep work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

“You need to go into a hiring fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.

He described that guests ought to determine the companies they wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, to permit informed conversations with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task fair and talked with some employers. A innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.