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, www.elitistpro.com and she’s preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task hunters, she went to a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of work in numerous markets, made it different 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 agencies, sowjobs.com who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were available to answer hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including VERG, www.rotaryjobmarket.com 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 chance to discover what kind of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager 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 get ready for them, “dress 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 skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s goals was to assist people discover about profession opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential advantage of attending a task 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 readily available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that essentially every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an informed decision about their career.”

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

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

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and 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 road,” he stated.

That prep work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He explained that participants must identify the business they want to speak to and research them ahead of time, to allow for informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task fair and talked to some employers. A senior details technology professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.