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 task applicants, she attended a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than employment in numerous markets, made it various 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 agencies, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were readily available to answer hiring concerns, said Frank Handoe, londonstaffing.uk deputy shift services manager 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 occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what type of chances exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 event will be held May 8, July 10 and trustemployement.com Sept. 11.

To get ready for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

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 learn more about profession opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential benefit of going to a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the available chances and decide to continue serving, [empty] Gentz stated.

“We see that basically every year,” he said. “We want them to make an informed choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, including credit reports, budgets and “developing a savings 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’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their employing practices, Handoe said.

“You must be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do in the future down the road,” he stated.

That prep work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

“You require to go into a working with reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe said.

He described that attendees ought to the companies they wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, to permit educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job fair and talked to some recruiters. A senior information innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.