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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she went to an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply try to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

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, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and employment addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were available to answer working with questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift 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 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 event will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.

To prepare for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator employment pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s objectives was to assist individuals discover career chances and how their abilities align with them, employment Gentz said.

Education is an essential advantage of attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that generally every year,” he said. “We want them to make an informed decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is learning about finances, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “developing a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

“You need to be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do in the future down the road,” he said.

That prep work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He described that participants need to pinpoint the business they desire to with and research study them ahead of time, to permit for educated conversations with recruiters.

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