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 getting ready for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task applicants, she participated in a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to take benefit of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to provide, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of employment in numerous industries, 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 companies, sowjobs.com who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were available to answer hiring questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor 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 event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover out what kind of chances exist here outside your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, 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, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

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

Among the task fair’s goals was to help people discover career opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential advantage of participating in a job fair, [empty] as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the offered chances and decide to continue serving, [Redirect-302] Gentz said.

“We see that basically every year,” he said. “We want them to make an informed choice about their career.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, including credit reports, budgets and “developing 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 at some point,” he said, “however while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are trying to find – consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling – and discovering their employing practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for job fairs.

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

He described that attendees must identify the companies they desire to consult with and trustemployement.com research them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task fair and spoke to some recruiters. A senior details innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.