This company has no active jobs
About Us
JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities
LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a few weeks away, and she’s preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 task hunters, she went to an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I just attempt to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.
The focus of the job fair on state work, rather than work in numerous 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 questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were available to respond to working with 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, referall.us the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to learn what sort of chances exist here outdoors your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.
Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion 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 “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.
Among the task fair’s goals was to assist people discover profession chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.
Education is a crucial advantage of going to a job fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.
“We see that basically every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an educated choice about their career.”
Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “constructing 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 sooner or later,” he stated, “however while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”
Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are looking for – including certifications, accreditations and schooling – and discovering their employing practices, Handoe said.
“You must be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do in the future down the roadway,” he said.
That prep work consists of getting ready for task fairs.
“You need to enter into a hiring reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.
He explained that guests need to identify the companies they wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, to enable educated discussions with recruiters.
Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job fair and consulted with some recruiters. A senior information technology specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.