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 shift at Joint Base .

As part of a group of about 30 job candidates, she went to a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to take benefit of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to use, just to ensure 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 setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were available to respond to hiring concerns, stated 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 referall.us Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” 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, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “quick introduction 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 goals was to help people discover profession opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial benefit of attending a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the available chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “constructing a nest egg 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 someday,” he said, “however while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe said.

“You should be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do in the future down the road,” he said.

That prep work includes getting ready for job fairs.

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

He discussed that guests ought to pinpoint the companies they desire to speak with and research study them ahead of time, to enable educated conversations with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and talked with some recruiters. A senior details technology specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.