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 job hunters, she attended an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of work in different markets, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were offered to respond to hiring questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations including VERG, referall.us 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 opportunity to learn what type of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” stated 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 get ready for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

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

One of the job fair’s goals was to help individuals discover career opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key benefit of going to a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that basically every year,” he said. “We desire them to make an educated decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, including credit reports, budgets and “constructing a savings 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 everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are trying to find – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

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

He explained that participants must pinpoint the business they wish to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke to some recruiters. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.