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 preparing for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she attended a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I simply attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to provide, just to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.
The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than employment in markets, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, employment 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, employers from state firms were offered to answer employing questions, employment stated Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for 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 Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
A quarterly occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition 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, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.
An elevator pitch is a “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe said, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.
Among the job fair’s objectives was to help people learn about career opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.
Education is a key advantage of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the offered chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.
“We see that generally every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an educated choice about their career.”
Part of the education piece is discovering finances, including 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 one day,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”
Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their hiring practices, Handoe said.
“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do in the future down the road,” he stated.
That preparation work includes preparing for employment task fairs.
“You need to enter into an employing fair with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.
He discussed that guests should identify the companies they desire to talk with and research them ahead of time, to enable for employment educated discussions with employers.
Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke with some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.