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 job hunters, she went to a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
„I simply try to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to provide, simply to make certain I’m as prepared as possible,“ she said.
The focus of the task fair on state employment, employment rather than employment in different industries, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, employment it started with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, employment recruiters from state agencies were offered to address working with concerns, said 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, employment the task fair is „a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what type of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,“ stated Christopher Gentz, shift services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.
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 seeking to do,“ Handoe stated, mentioning that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.
One of the job fair’s objectives was to help individuals discover career opportunities and employment how their abilities align with them, Gentz stated.
Education is a crucial advantage of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re „not prepared to make that dive yet,“ or they have actually seen the readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.
„We see that generally every year,“ he said. „We want them to make an informed choice about their career.“
Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, consisting of credit reports, budgets 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, „but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?“
Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are trying to find – including certifications, accreditations and education – and finding out about their employing practices, Handoe stated.
„You must be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do in the future down the road,“ he stated.
That preparation 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 simply meander around,“ Handoe stated.
He discussed that participants need to identify the companies they want to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to allow for informed conversations with recruiters.
Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some recruiters. A senior employment infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.