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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 task applicants, she participated in a hiring fair 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, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.
The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than work in numerous industries, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were offered to address hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, referall.us deputy shift services manager 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, Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
A quarterly occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover out what kind of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated 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 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 looking to do,” Handoe said, mentioning that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.
Among the job fair’s goals was to assist individuals learn about profession opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.
Education is a key advantage of going to a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.
“We see that essentially every year,” he said. “We desire them to make an educated decision about their career.”
Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, including credit reports, budget plans and “developing a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.
“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?”
Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and their hiring practices, Handoe said.
“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do later down the road,” he said.
That prep work consists of 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 guests must pinpoint the business they wish to speak with and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed discussions with employers.
Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke with some employers. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.
