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 for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job candidates, she went to a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply try to take advantage of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state work, rather than employment in different markets, made it different 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 firms, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were readily available to respond to employing questions, employment said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor 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, employment the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to find out what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, 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 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 seeking to do,” Handoe said, employment mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s goals was to assist people learn more about career chances and how their abilities align with them, employment Gentz stated.

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

“We see that essentially every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an informed decision about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “developing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he said, “but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and learning more about their hiring practices, employment Handoe said.

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

That prep work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He discussed that participants ought to pinpoint the business they wish to consult with and research them ahead of time, to permit for employment informed conversations with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and spoke with some recruiters. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.