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 applicants, she attended an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career 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 ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.
The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of employment in various industries, made it various 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 addressed concerns. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were available 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 employment Families; Department of Social and Health Services, employment Community Services Division; and employment Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
A quarterly event, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what kind of chances exist here outside your back door,” 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 “fast intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re aiming to do,” Handoe stated, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.
One of the job fair’s goals was to assist individuals find out about profession opportunities and employment how their abilities line up with them, Gentz said.
Education is a key benefit of attending a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the offered chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.
“We see that essentially every year,” he said. “We want them to make an informed decision about their profession.”
Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “developing a nest egg 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 sooner or later,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”
Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their hiring practices, Handoe stated.
“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 of getting ready for job fairs.
“You need to go into an employing reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.
He explained that participants must identify the business they wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, to enable for informed discussions with recruiters.
Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and talked with some employers. A senior info technology professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, employment she has actually discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.