JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a few weeks away, and she’s preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job hunters, she participated in a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

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

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than employment in different markets, 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 employment addressed questions. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were available to answer hiring concerns, stated Frank Handoe, employment deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented companies 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 event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to learn what kind of chances exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, employment shift services manager 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, “gown 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 seeking to do,” Handoe said, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s objectives was to assist people find out about career chances and how their abilities line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a key advantage of attending a job fair, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the available opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, including credit reports, budget plans and “building a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army sooner or later,” he said, “but while you’re in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outdoors world are trying to find – consisting of certifications, accreditations and education – and employment discovering their employing practices, Handoe stated.

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

That prep work includes preparing for job fairs.

“You need to go into a working with fair with a strategy of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.

He described that attendees ought to identify the companies they want to speak with and employment research them ahead of time, to enable educated discussions with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job reasonable and spoke to some employers. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Unit, she has found she wants to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.