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 getting ready for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task applicants, she attended a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than employment in various industries, 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 answered questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were readily available to working with questions, stated 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 employment Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to learn what kind of chances exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, employment shift services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.

To get ready for employment them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and employment practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

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

Among the job fair’s goals was to assist people find out about profession chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial benefit of attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the available chances and choose to continue serving, employment Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, including credit reports, spending plans and “developing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he said, “however while you remain 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 outdoors world are trying to find – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and discovering their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

“You must be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do later on down the roadway,” he stated.

That preparation work includes getting ready for job fairs.

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

He discussed that attendees should determine the business they want to speak with and employment research them ahead of time, employment to permit educated conversations with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke with some employers. A senior details innovation professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.