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 job seekers, she attended a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just try to take advantage of 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 task fair on state work, rather than employment in various markets, made it various than others on the installation. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, employment it began with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and addressed concerns. Following the panel, employers from state companies were readily available to address working with questions, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift 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, Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover what kind of chances exist here outdoors your back door,” said 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 stated.

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

One of the task fair’s goals was to assist individuals learn about career chances and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a key benefit of going to a job fair, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not all set to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the offered opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz stated.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering finances, including credit reports, budgets and “constructing a nest egg 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 one day,” he stated, “however while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to go out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – including certifications, accreditations and education – and learning more about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

“You must be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do in the future down the road,” he stated.

That prep work consists of getting ready for .

“You require to go into an employing reasonable with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.

He explained that guests need to determine the business they want to talk to and research them ahead of time, to permit educated discussions with employers.

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