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 employment the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task hunters, she participated in an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, rather than employment in different industries, made it various 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 agencies, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state firms were offered to respond to hiring concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, employment 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 outdoors your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor 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 prepare for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator employment pitch, Gentz said.

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

One of the job fair’s goals was to help people find out about career chances and how their skills line up with them, employment Gentz stated.

Education is a key benefit of going to a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that generally every year,” he said. “We desire them to make an educated decision about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “building a nest egg so you have something to work with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work includes getting ready for employment task fairs.

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

He described that attendees must determine the business they want to speak to and research them ahead of time, to allow for informed conversations with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and talked to some recruiters. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she desires to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.