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 the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she attended an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job 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 started with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were available to answer hiring concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations 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 occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what kind of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, shift 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 prepare for them, “dress 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 looking to do,” Handoe stated, that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s objectives was to assist people discover about profession opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential benefit of going to a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or employment they have seen the readily available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

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

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army one day,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work includes preparing for job fairs.

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

He described that guests ought to pinpoint the business they wish to consult with and research study them ahead of time, to permit educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and spoke to some recruiters. A senior details innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.