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Something About Company

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 candidates, she went to a hiring reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, rather than employment in different markets, made it various 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 agencies, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were readily available to address working with questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies including VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s 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 chance to discover what kind of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.

To prepare for them, “gown 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 seeking to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair’s objectives was to help people learn more about profession opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential advantage of going to a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP learn they’re “not all set to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the readily available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“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 finding out about finances, consisting of credit reports, referall.us budgets and “building a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

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

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are trying to find – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their employing practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work includes getting ready for job fairs.

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

He described that attendees ought to pinpoint the business they wish to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some recruiters. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she desires to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.