JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a couple of weeks away, and she’s preparing for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job hunters, she went to a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of employment in various industries, 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 answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state companies were readily available to respond to working with questions, employment said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including 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 chance to discover out what type of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor 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 them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, employment Gentz said.

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

One of the task fair’s goals was to help individuals learn more about career chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key benefit of attending a task 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 offered opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

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

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

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, employment seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and learning about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work includes getting ready for job fairs.

“You need to go into a hiring 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 wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, to permit educated discussions with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and talked to some recruiters. A senior details innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.