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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she participated in a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of work in numerous markets, made it various 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 addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were offered to answer working with questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition 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 occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what type of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” 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 referall.us them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe stated, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to help people discover profession chances and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential benefit of participating in a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that generally every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an informed decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, including credit reports, spending plans and “building 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, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are searching for – including accreditations, and schooling – and learning more about their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He explained that participants should determine the business they wish to talk to and research them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and consulted with some recruiters. A senior info innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.