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 employment she's preparing for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she attended a hiring fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession chances at JBLM's Hawk Career Center.

"I simply attempt to take advantage of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to use, just to make sure I'm as prepared as possible," she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, instead of work in numerous industries, made it various 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 answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state companies were readily available to address working with questions, 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 employment Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, the task fair is "a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to discover out what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back door," stated Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the 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, "gown for success," bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz said.

An elevator pitch is a "quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you're looking to do," Handoe stated, pointing out that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

One of the job fair's goals was to help individuals learn about career opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of going to a job fair, 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 chances and choose 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 about finances, consisting of credit reports, employment budget plans and "constructing a nest egg so you have something to deal with when it's time to get out," Handoe said.

"Everybody's going to get out of the Army at some point," he said, "but while you remain in, are you doing everything you can to prepare to get out?"

Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what people in the outdoors world are looking for - consisting of certifications, accreditations and schooling - and learning more about their hiring practices, Handoe said.

"You ought to be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do in the future down the roadway," he said.

That preparation work includes preparing for task fairs.

"You need to enter into a hiring reasonable with a strategy of what you're going to do and not just meander around," Handoe stated.

He described that attendees should determine the companies they wish to speak with and employment research them ahead of time, to permit for informed discussions with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task fair and talked to some recruiters. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.