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 .

As part of a group of about 30 job candidates, she attended a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances 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 offer, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than work in various markets, made it different 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 answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were offered to respond to employing questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including VERG, WorkSource and employment 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 employment Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to learn what sort 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 “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe said, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the task fair’s goals was to help individuals find out about career chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “building a nest egg so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army at some point,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, employment seeing what people in the outdoors world are searching for – including certifications, employment accreditations and schooling – and discovering their working with practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work consists of preparing for task fairs.

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

He discussed that attendees must identify the companies they desire to consult with and research study them ahead of time, to permit educated discussions with employers.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and spoke to some recruiters. A senior details innovation professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.