JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities
JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, referall.us Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a couple of weeks away, and she’s getting ready for the shift at Joint Base .
As part of a group of about 30 task applicants, she participated in an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I just attempt to take benefit of 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 job fair on state work, instead of 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 firms, who shared their experiences and responded to questions. Following the panel, recruiters from state agencies were available to answer employing concerns, stated 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 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 type of chances exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.
Additional job 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 aiming to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.
Among the task fair’s goals was to help people find out about profession opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.
Education is an essential advantage of participating in a job fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the readily available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.
“We see that essentially every year,” he said. “We want them to make an informed choice about their career.”
Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, including credit reports, budget plans and “developing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.
“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”
Job fairs likewise exist to assist individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are looking for – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe said.
“You should be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do in the future down the roadway,” he said.
That preparation work consists of getting ready for job fairs.
“You require to go into a hiring reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe stated.
He explained that guests ought to identify the companies they want to speak to and research them ahead of time, to permit informed conversations with recruiters.
Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 job fair and consulted with some employers. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian function.