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 participated in an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to use, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than work in numerous markets, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and lakarjobbisverige.se the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were available to respond to hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor 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; of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition 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 prepare for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, studentvolunteers.us Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting 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 discover about career opportunities and [empty] how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

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

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

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and discovering their employing practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work includes getting ready for job fairs.

“You need 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 discussed that participants must pinpoint the companies they wish to talk to and research them ahead of time, to enable for informed discussions with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and talked with some employers. A senior [empty] infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she desires to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.