JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, referall.us Wash. Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a couple of weeks away, and she’s getting ready for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she went to an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to take advantage of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to provide, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of work in different industries, 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 agencies, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were readily available to respond to employing concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition 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 job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 event 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 stated.

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

One of the task fair’s goals was to assist people find out about career chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential benefit of attending a job reasonable, 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 offered chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, consisting of credit reports, spending 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 sooner or later,” he stated, “however while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work includes getting ready for task fairs.

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

He discussed that attendees ought to pinpoint the business they desire to talk with and research them ahead of time, to permit for educated discussions with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and spoke with some recruiters. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.