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 job candidates, she participated in a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to provide, just to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than work in various markets, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were available to answer working with concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition 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 task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what kind of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor 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 them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and studentvolunteers.us practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

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

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

Education is an essential advantage of participating in a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the offered opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering about financial resources, studentvolunteers.us including credit reports, budgets and “building a savings 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 one day,” he stated, “however while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of certifications, accreditations and jobteck.com schooling – and learning about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work consists of getting ready for https://studentvolunteers.us/ job fairs.

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

He explained that attendees must identify the business they want to talk with and research them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with recruiters.

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