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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task hunters, she participated in a hiring fair Jan. 30 that State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just try to take benefit of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than employment in numerous markets, made it different than others on the setup. 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 answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were readily available to address working with questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager 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, Youth and Families; Department 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 chance to learn what type of chances exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, referall.us 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 get ready for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe said, mentioning that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the task fair’s goals was to assist individuals learn about career chances and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the available chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that basically every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an informed decision about their career.”

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

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

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outside 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 wish to do later down the roadway,” he said.

That prep work includes getting ready for job fairs.

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

He explained that attendees ought to identify the business they wish to consult with and research study them ahead of time, to enable for educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task fair and talked to some employers. A senior info innovation professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.