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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 few weeks away, and she’s preparing for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she attended a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances 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 provide, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of work in different industries, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and referall.us the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were available to answer working with questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including 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 occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to find out what type of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task 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 said.

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

One of the task fair’s goals was to assist individuals find out about career chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial benefit of going to a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the offered opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, including credit reports, budget plans and “constructing a nest egg 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 sooner or later,” he said, “however while you’re 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 searching for – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work consists of for task fairs.

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

He discussed that attendees ought to identify the companies they wish to consult with and research them ahead of time, to enable for informed discussions with employers.

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