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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she attended a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just try to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state work, instead of employment in different industries, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and mtglobalsolutionsinc.com addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state firms were offered to address hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager 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 chance to discover what type of chances exist here outdoors your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, transition 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, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

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

Among the job fair’s objectives was to help individuals discover about profession opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial benefit of going to a job fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the offered opportunities and https://www.cbl.health choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, including credit reports, [empty] spending plans and “developing a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army one day,” he said, “however while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are looking for – including certifications, complete-jobs.com accreditations and education – and [empty] learning about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work includes preparing for .

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

He described that guests need to identify the business they wish to talk to and research them ahead of time, to permit for educated conversations with recruiters.

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