JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, employment 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 task applicants, she attended an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to make the most of 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 work, rather than employment in different industries, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and employment the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and employment answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were readily available to address hiring questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations 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 opportunity to find out what kind of chances exist here outside your back door,” said Gentz, transition services manager 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 prepare for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator employment pitch, Gentz said.

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

One of the job fair’s objectives was to help individuals find out about profession opportunities and how their abilities align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a key benefit of attending a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or employment they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that generally every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an educated choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is discovering about financial resources, including credit reports, spending plans and “building 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 stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling – and employment finding out about their employing practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work consists of preparing for job fairs.

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

He described that attendees need to identify the companies they desire to talk with and research them ahead of time, to enable educated discussions with employers.

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