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 getting ready for employment the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she attended a working with 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 has to offer, just to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of employment in various industries, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, employment it started with a panel of from state agencies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were offered to answer hiring concerns, stated Frank Handoe, 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 event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what kind of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” said 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 prepare for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator employment pitch, employment Gentz stated.

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

One of the task fair’s objectives was to help people learn about career chances and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, employment including credit reports, employment budget plans 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 one day,” he said, “however while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – including certifications, accreditations and education – and discovering their employing 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 said.

That preparation work includes getting ready for job fairs.

“You need to go into a hiring reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.

He explained that participants must pinpoint the business they want to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to allow for educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke to some recruiters. A senior information innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she desires to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.