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 preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

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

“I simply attempt to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to use, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of employment in numerous markets, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state firms were offered to address employing questions, 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, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what type of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services manager 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 them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator job pitch, Gentz stated.

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

One of the job fair’s goals was to learn about profession opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a key advantage of going to a task fair, job as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that basically every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an informed choice about their career.”

Part of the education piece is finding out about finances, including credit reports, budgets and “building 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 someday,” he said, “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 people in the outdoors world are looking for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their working with practices, Handoe said.

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

That preparation work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He described that guests need to pinpoint the companies they want to talk with and research them ahead of time, to enable for informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and spoke to some recruiters. A senior infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.