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 task seekers, she participated in a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just try to take advantage of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than work in numerous markets, made it various than others on the setup. 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 questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were readily available to respond to employing questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor 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, referall.us Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what type of chances exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.

To prepare for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

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

Among the task fair’s goals was to help people learn more about profession chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “constructing a nest egg 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 sooner or later,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are trying to find – including certifications, accreditations and education – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe said.

“You must be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later down the road,” he said.

That preparation work includes getting ready for job fairs.

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

He described that guests must determine the business they want to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed discussions with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and talked to some recruiters. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her function.