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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task applicants, she attended a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just try to take benefit 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 task fair on state work, instead of employment in different industries, made it different 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 responded to questions. Following the panel, employers from state firms were offered to address hiring questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations 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 is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what type of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition 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 get ready for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

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

Among the job fair’s goals was to assist people discover career opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential benefit of participating in a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the offered opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, including credit reports, budgets and “building a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe stated.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he said, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work includes getting ready for job fairs.

“You require to enter into a hiring reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe said.

He described that attendees ought to identify the business they desire to consult with and research them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and spoke with some recruiters. A senior information technology expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.