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 shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, rather than work in different industries, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and referall.us the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were available to respond to working with questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager 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 task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what kind of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services supervisor 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, “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, mentioning that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s objectives was to help individuals discover career chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial benefit of participating in a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that essentially every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an educated decision about their career.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, including credit reports, budgets and “developing a savings 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 one day,” he stated, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are searching for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and learning more about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do later on down the roadway,” he stated.

That prep work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He discussed that guests must identify the companies they wish to consult with and research them ahead of time, to allow for educated conversations with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some employers. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Unit, she has discovered she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.