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 getting ready for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she participated in an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of work in different markets, made it different 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 companies, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were available to to working with concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager 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 occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, shift 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 referall.us 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 aiming to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to help people find out about profession opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential advantage of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “developing a nest egg so you have something to work with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.

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

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are looking for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out 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 preparation work includes getting ready for task fairs.

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

He explained that participants must determine the companies they wish to speak with and research them ahead of time, to permit educated discussions with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task fair and talked with some recruiters. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.