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 task hunters, she attended an employing fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply try to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to provide, simply to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of work in numerous markets, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee 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 agencies were readily available to address hiring concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations including VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, employment 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 opportunity to discover what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” 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 prepare for them, “dress for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s objectives was to help people discover career chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz said.

Education is an essential benefit of participating in a task fair, employment as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the available opportunities and choose to continue serving, employment Gentz said.

“We see that generally every year,” he said. “We want them to make an informed choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, consisting of credit reports, budgets and “constructing a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe stated.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army someday,” he stated, “however while you’re in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs likewise exist to help people with networking, seeing what people in the outside world are searching for – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

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

That preparation work consists of getting ready for task fairs.

“You need to enter into an employing fair with a plan of what you’re going to do and not just meander around,” Handoe said.

He discussed that attendees ought to identify the business they desire to speak to and research study them ahead of time, to allow for informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan took pleasure in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and consulted with some recruiters. A senior employment infotech professional with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has discovered she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian role.