JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a few weeks away, and she’s getting ready for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she participated in a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just attempt to take benefit of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than employment in different 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 companies, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were offered to answer employing concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for employment 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 employment Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover out what kind of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 event 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 intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s objectives was to assist individuals find out about profession opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “constructing a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he said, “however while you remain 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 outside world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their employing practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

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

He discussed that guests should determine the business they want to consult with and employment research study them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and spoke to some recruiters. A senior info technology professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she desires to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.