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 preparing for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she participated in an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of employment in numerous markets, made it various than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state companies were available to address hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift 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 studentvolunteers.us Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to find out what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services manager 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 supremecarelink.com practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe said, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to help individuals discover profession opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of participating in a task fair, [empty] as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, consisting of 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 stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are trying to find – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do in the future down the roadway,” he stated.

That prep work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

“You require to enter into a working with reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.

He described that guests ought to determine the companies they desire to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to permit educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 job fair and talked with some employers. A senior details technology professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.