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 job seekers, she attended an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just try to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, just to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than work in 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 concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were offered to respond to hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations 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 event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to learn what kind of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, shift 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, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “fast 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 task fair’s goals was to assist people find out about profession opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential advantage of going to a job fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or referall.us they have seen the available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that basically every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an educated decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, including credit reports, spending plans and “constructing a nest egg 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 one day,” he said, “but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are searching for – including certifications, accreditations and education – and finding out about their employing practices, Handoe said.

“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do later down the roadway,” he said.

That prep work consists of getting ready for job fairs.

“You need to enter into an employing fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.

He described that attendees must determine the business they want to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to enable informed discussions with recruiters.

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