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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

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

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

The focus of the task fair on state work, rather than employment in different industries, made it different than others on the installation. 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 addressed questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state companies were available to answer working with questions, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, Youth and referall.us 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 find out what kind of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” stated 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 get ready for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “fast 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 help people find out about profession opportunities and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential advantage of going to a task fair, 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 offered chances and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that essentially every year,” he stated. “We want them to make an informed decision about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “constructing a nest egg 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 one day,” he stated, “however while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are searching for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling – and discovering about their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work includes getting ready for task fairs.

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

He discussed that attendees must identify the business they wish to talk to and research them ahead of time, to permit informed discussions with recruiters.

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