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, employment and employment 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 working with reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.
“I simply attempt to make the most of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to offer, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.
The focus of the task fair on state employment, rather than employment in various industries, 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 addressed questions. Following the panel, employers from state companies were available to respond to employing questions, employment stated Frank Handoe, employment deputy transition services supervisor for the TAP.
Informational tables represented companies consisting of VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and employment 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 out what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager 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 get ready for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, employment Gentz said.
An elevator pitch is a “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe stated, mentioning that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.
One of the job fair’s goals was to help people discover about career opportunities and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.
Education is a key advantage of going to 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 actually seen the available opportunities and decide to serving, Gentz stated.
“We see that basically 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 “developing a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.
“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”
Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are trying to find – consisting of accreditations, accreditations and education – and learning more about their employing practices, Handoe said.
“You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do later down the roadway,” he stated.
That prep work includes preparing for job fairs.
“You require 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 guests need to pinpoint the companies they want to speak to and research them ahead of time, to enable informed discussions with recruiters.
Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task fair and consulted with some recruiters. A senior employment infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.