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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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job candidates, she went to a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

« I simply attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to use, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible, » she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than employment in various markets, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, employment WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were offered to answer employing questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies 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 kind of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance, » 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, employment Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a « fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do, » Handoe said, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s goals was to help individuals learn about profession chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of attending a job fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re « not prepared to make that jump yet, » or they have actually seen the offered chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

« We see that essentially every year, » he said. « We want them to make an informed decision about their career. »

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, employment budget plans and « developing a nest egg 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 someday, » he said, « but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out? »

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of accreditations, employment accreditations and education – and employment learning more about their working with practices, Handoe said.

« You should be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do in the future down the road, » he stated.

That prep work consists of preparing for job fairs.

« You require to go into an employing fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around, » .

He explained that attendees should pinpoint the business they want to speak with and research them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke to some recruiters. A senior information innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.