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 preparing for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task applicants, she attended a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances 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 use, simply to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of employment in various industries, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and job addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were readily available to respond to hiring questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies 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 learn what type of chances 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 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.

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

An elevator pitch is a “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe said, mentioning that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the task fair’s goals was to assist people find out about career chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or job they have actually seen the available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering about financial resources, including credit reports, plans and “building a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he stated, “however while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and job schooling – and finding out about their employing practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work includes getting ready for job fairs.

“You need to go into a hiring fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.

He described that attendees must determine the business they wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, to permit informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and job talked to some recruiters. A senior job details technology specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.