JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities
JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a few weeks away, and she’s getting ready for employment the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
As part of a group of about 30 job applicants, she participated in an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career 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 has to offer, just to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.
The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of employment in different markets, made it various 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 firms, who shared their experiences and employment answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were offered to respond to working with questions, said Frank Handoe, employment deputy shift services supervisor for the TAP.
Informational tables represented organizations consisting of VERG, employment 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 opportunity to discover out what kind of opportunities exist here outdoors your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift 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 “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.
One of the job fair’s objectives was to assist people learn more about career opportunities and employment how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.
Education is a crucial benefit of participating in a task fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the offered opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.
“We see that generally every year,” he said. “We want them to make an informed decision about their career.”
Part of the education piece is discovering about financial resources, including credit reports, budget plans and “constructing a nest egg so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.
“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday,” he stated, “but while you remain 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 outdoors world are searching for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their employing practices, Handoe said.
“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do later on down the road,” he stated.
That preparation work includes getting ready for task fairs.
“You need to enter into a hiring fair with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe stated.
He described that guests should determine the business they desire to talk with and research them ahead of time, to permit educated conversations with employers.
Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some recruiters. A senior details technology specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.
