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 task seekers, she went to a working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, rather than work in different industries, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were available to respond to hiring concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations 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 event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what type of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task 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 said.

An elevator pitch is a “fast 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.

Among the task fair’s goals was to assist people find out about career opportunities and how their abilities align with them, Gentz stated.

is a crucial benefit of attending a task fair, referall.us 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 generally every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an educated decision about their career.”

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

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

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and learning about their working with practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for job fairs.

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

He discussed that guests must identify the business they desire to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and spoke to some recruiters. A senior info innovation professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.