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 the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she went to a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I just try to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to provide, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.
The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than employment in different markets, made it various than others on the setup. 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 questions. Following the panel, employers from state companies were available to answer hiring concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.
Informational tables represented organizations 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 event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what kind of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services manager 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 prepare for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.
An elevator pitch is a “fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.
One of the task fair’s goals was to assist individuals learn about profession opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.
Education is a crucial benefit of attending a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.
“We see that essentially every year,” he said. “We want them to make an educated choice about their career.”
Part of the education piece is learning about finances, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “building a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.
“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army one day,” he said, “but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”
Job fairs also exist to with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are trying to find – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and employment finding out about their working with practices, Handoe said.
“You must be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later on down the road,” he said.
That preparation work includes preparing for job fairs.
“You need to enter into an employing reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe said.
He described that attendees need to pinpoint the business they wish to talk to and research them ahead of time, to permit educated discussions with recruiters.
Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task reasonable and spoke with some recruiters. A senior information innovation specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.
