JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities
JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a couple of weeks away, and she’s getting ready for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 job candidates, she participated in a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I simply try to take advantage of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.
The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of work in numerous markets, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were available to respond to hiring questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager 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 employment Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
A quarterly occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what sort of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.
Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.
To get ready for employment them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and employment practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.
An elevator pitch is a “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.
One of the task fair’s goals was to help people learn more about career opportunities and employment how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.
Education is an essential advantage of going to a job fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the readily available opportunities and choose to serving, Gentz stated.
“We see that generally every year,” he said. “We want them to make an informed decision about their profession.”
Part of the education piece is learning more about financial resources, employment consisting of credit reports, spending plans and “developing 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 at some point,” he said, “however while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”
Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and discovering their employing practices, Handoe said.
“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do later down the road,” he said.
That prep work includes getting ready for task fairs.
“You need to enter into a working with reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe said.
He discussed that guests need to identify the companies they wish to talk to and research study them ahead of time, to enable for educated conversations with recruiters.
Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task fair and talked with some recruiters. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.