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 the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job candidates, she attended a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities 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 provide, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, linked web site rather than employment in various 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 companies, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were offered to address working with questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, www.opad.biz 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 chance to discover out what type of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” stated 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 pitch, Gentz said.

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

Among the job fair’s goals was to assist individuals learn more about profession opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to 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 seen the available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, including credit reports, budget plans and “developing a nest egg so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he stated, “however while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are looking for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and employme.app learning more about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work includes preparing for job fairs.

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

He explained that attendees need to pinpoint the companies they wish to talk with and research study them ahead of time, to enable for informed conversations with .

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