JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, employment Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a couple of weeks away, and she’s preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she participated in an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career 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 provide, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than work in different industries, 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 companies, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were available to respond to working with questions, said Frank Handoe, employment deputy shift services manager 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 learn what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” stated 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 get ready for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator employment pitch, employment Gentz stated.

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

Among the task fair’s goals was to help individuals discover profession chances and how their align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial benefit of attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

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

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

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – consisting of certifications, 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 wish to do later down the roadway,” he said.

That preparation work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He described that participants should pinpoint the companies they want to talk to and research them ahead of time, to allow for informed discussions with employers.

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