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Dust off your resume and practice interviewing because these upcoming career fairs are helping Westchester residents land a job.
It’s career fair season, a.k.a. the best time to get hired. Local companies are looking to fill multiple positions, and they’re getting ready to talk to potential candidates at upcoming career fairs in Westchester County.
We have two on our radar that job seekers should mark on their calendar: the Fall 2023 Regional Career Fair on October 12 and a job fair geared towards justice-involved individuals on October 18.
Bridget Gibbons, Director of Economic Development for Westchester County, says that they expect at least 100 or more job seekers to show up per event this fall. For each fair, job candidates should come prepared with multiple copies of their resumes and dress business casual. Various employers will set up information at the tables, where potential candidates can introduce themselves and discuss available positions.
“The job seeker will have the opportunity to pitch themselves, which could even lead to an interview on the spot,” notes Gibbons. “For others, it might be scheduling an appointment to meet at the job and begin the interviewing and vetting process there.”
Westchester County has seen a lot of success with its previous job fairs. At a previous construction job fair, one employer hired 25 people in a day, says Gibbons.
“I’m confident these will be very productive days for job seekers,” Gibbons observes.
The Fall 2023 Regional Career Fair, on October 12, will take place at the Westchester County Center and run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participating employers include New York Medical College, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and more than 40 others looking to fill over 3,000 local jobs.
“Most businesses are hiring at all levels,” says Gibbons. “There are opportunities for entry level people without degrees, as well as people with credentials. I’m excited about this one especially, given the challenges healthcare especially has had with hiring.”
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On October 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Yonkers Public Library, Untapped Solutions will host the justice-involved job fair. Lunch will be provided, and there will be childcare for parents who are networking. Bring a resume if you have it, but if not, volunteers are available to help you create one. There are opportunities for everyone, including if you have a criminal record, which is at the core of Untapped Solutions’ mission.
“In this community, there are a lot of people focused on re-entry,” Gibbons notes. “We want to help get them on their feet and get housing. There will also be service providers in the room.”
This fall will provide a lot of opportunities in the county for both job candidates and employers.
“It’s a win-win for not only the employers who can grow the economic engine for our county, but it helps people get meaningful employment,” says Gibbons.
And if you can’t make it to a career fair in person this fall, that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities for you. The New York State Department of Labor meets New Yorkers where they are, and these days that is online. The department hosts virtual career fairs every week. Plus, it has a virtual career center, which uses technology to provide job leads that really match a job seeker’s skills and experience. To top it off, it offers free virtual workshops for participants to learn interview techniques and even chat live with a career counselor.
