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JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, employment Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a couple of weeks away, employment and employment she’s preparing for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job candidates, she attended an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just try to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to provide, just 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 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 companies, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were available to respond to employing concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Program; Department of Children, Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, employment the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition 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 get ready for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator employment pitch is a “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe said, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

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

Education is an essential advantage of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “constructing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe stated.

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

Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are searching for employment – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and learning about their employing practices, employment Handoe said.

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

That prep work includes getting ready for job fairs.

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

He described that guests need to identify the companies they desire to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to permit for informed conversations with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.