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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she went to a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM's Hawk Career Center.

"I simply try 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 job fair on state work, rather than employment in various 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 agencies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state companies were offered to address working with questions, job stated Frank Handoe, job deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies 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 Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly event, the job fair is "a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover what type of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance," said Christopher Gentz, shift services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

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

To prepare for them, "gown for success," bring your resume and practice your pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a "quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you're seeking to do," Handoe said, mentioning that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair's objectives was to help individuals learn more about career chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key benefit of going to a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they're "not prepared to make that jump yet," or they have seen the available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

"We see that essentially every year," he stated. "We desire them to make an informed choice about their profession."

Part of the education piece is finding out about financial resources, including credit reports, budgets and "building a savings 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 sooner or later," he said, "however while you're in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to go out?"

Job fairs also exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are trying to find - consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education - and job discovering their employing practices, Handoe stated.

"You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later on down the roadway," he said.

That prep work consists of preparing for job fairs.

"You need to go into an employing fair with a plan of what you're going to do and not just meander around," Handoe said.

He described that attendees must determine the business they wish to talk with and research study them ahead of time, to permit for informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and talked with some employers. A senior information technology expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.