JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, employment Wash. Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a few weeks away, employment and she’s preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she attended an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state employment, 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 began with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were available to respond to hiring concerns, employment stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, employment Youth and Families; Department of Social and employment Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, employment the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to find out what kind of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services manager 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, Gentz said.

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

Among the job fair’s objectives was to help people discover career chances and how their abilities align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of attending a job fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered chances and employment choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “developing a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go 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 go out?”

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

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for task fairs.

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

He described that guests ought to pinpoint the business they wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and consulted with some recruiters. A senior details innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.