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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she went to an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state work, instead of work in various markets, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were offered to address hiring concerns, said 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 job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to learn what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” stated 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 prepare 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, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s objectives was to help people discover about career chances and how their abilities align with them, Gentz said.

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

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, consisting of credit reports, budget 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 someday,” he stated, “however 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 individuals in the world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He described that attendees need to determine the business they wish to talk to and referall.us research study them ahead of time, to permit for informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke with some recruiters. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she desires to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.