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 getting ready for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she participated in a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at Career Center.

“I simply attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to use, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of employment in various markets, made it different than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and employment the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were readily available to respond to employing concerns, stated 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 occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what kind of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” said Christopher Gentz, transition 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, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

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

Among the job fair’s goals was to help individuals find out about career opportunities and how their abilities align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial benefit of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have actually seen the readily available chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that generally every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an educated choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is discovering 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 stated.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he said, “however while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their employing practices, Handoe said.

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

That prep work includes getting ready for task 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 stated.

He described that participants need to determine the companies they want to speak with and research study them ahead of time, to permit educated discussions with employers.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke with some recruiters. A senior information innovation professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wants to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.