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 preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

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

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

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of work in different markets, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, referall.us WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state were readily available to address working with questions, said 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 sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion 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 “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 goals was to assist individuals find out about profession chances and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of attending a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, including credit reports, budgets and “constructing a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe stated.

“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 go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and learning more about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work consists of preparing for job fairs.

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

He explained that guests need to determine the companies they desire to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to enable educated discussions with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and talked with some employers. A senior info innovation professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she desires to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.