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 job she’s getting ready for the transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 job seekers, she participated in a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities 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 offer, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,» she said.
The focus of the task fair on state 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, it began with a panel of veterans from state firms, job who shared their experiences and addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were readily available to answer working with concerns, 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 job 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 out what kind of opportunities exist here outside your back door,» said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.
Additional task 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 introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,» Handoe said, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.
Among the job fair’s goals was to help individuals discover career opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.
Education is a crucial benefit of attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re «not ready to make that dive yet,» or they have seen the readily available chances and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.
«We see that essentially every year,» he said. «We want them to make an educated decision about their profession.»
Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, including credit reports, budgets and «developing 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 one day,» he stated, «however while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?»
Job fairs also exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.
«You need to be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do later down the roadway,» he stated.
That preparation work includes preparing for task fairs.
«You need to enter into a working with fair with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,» Handoe said.
He discussed that attendees should determine the business they wish to speak to and research them ahead of time, to permit for with employers.
Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task reasonable and spoke to some recruiters. A senior information innovation expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she desires to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.