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 preparing for akrs.ae the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job hunters, she attended a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to use, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than employment in various markets, remotejobscape.com 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 firms, who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, employers from state companies were readily available to address working with concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager 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 event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what kind of chances exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor 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 for them, “gown 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 wanting to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to assist people learn more about profession opportunities and how their abilities align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key benefit of going to a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the offered chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that generally every year,” he said. “We want them to make an informed choice about their career.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “developing 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 someday,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are trying to find – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and discovering their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work includes getting ready for job fairs.

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

He described that attendees need to identify the business they wish to talk to and [empty] research them ahead of time, to permit for informed conversations with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job fair and https://www.opad.biz/ talked to some employers. A senior information technology specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, https://www.opad.biz/ she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.