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 task applicants, she attended an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to use, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of work in numerous markets, made it various 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 addressed concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were offered to answer hiring concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager 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, Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover out what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 event will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.

To get ready for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

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

Among the task fair’s objectives was to help individuals discover profession opportunities and referall.us how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, including credit reports, budget plans and “developing a savings 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 also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are searching for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their employing practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

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

He described that participants should identify the companies they want to speak with and research them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and talked to some recruiters. A senior information technology expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.