Tomorrow, the JF&CS Career Development Center (CDC) in partnership with North Hills Community Outreach (NHCO) and South Hills Interfaith Ministries (SHIM), will hold a career fair for job seekers throughout our region.
The career fair will be held from 9 a.m. – Noon at the Bethel Park Community Center (5151 Park Avenue, 15102) and includes employers from Allegheny Health Network, Eat’n Park, Goodwill, St. Clair Hospital, University of Pittsburgh, UPMC and many others.
This career fair is appropriate for all levels of professional experience ranging from entry level through director level positions. Available positions include jobs in administration, finance, customer service and many more areas. Those who attend can expect to meet one-on-one with recruiters for brief in-person interviews.
“Our career fairs are so unique because we provide each attendee with an opportunity to spend one-on-one time with recruiters to discuss their background, qualifications and interest in a specific company. We really stress the importance of registering in advance, so we can ensure that critical one-on-one time is available,” said Patrick Ferraro, Employer Relations Consultant with the CDC.
Those wishing to attend the career fair must register in advance by calling 412-854-9120, ext. 107.
At the CDC, Patrick works with jobseekers as well as employers looking to hire new talent, and has advice for maximizing the career fair experience.
- Identify your goals – “Determine why you are going to this career fair beforehand,” Patrick said. “Are you going because there are specific positions or employers you’re interested in or do you feel it’s better to use this as a networking opportunity? Identifying your intentions will make all the difference in how successful you’ll be.”
- Be prepared – Bring several copies of a resume, personal business cards (if you have them) and references, and research employers and available positions beforehand. Use every tool available to ensure you make an impression on potential employers and stand out from the crowd.
- Dress to impress – Patrick suggests career fair attendees should dress as if they are going to an interview. “It’s better to over dress than under dress in a situation like this. Wear a suit and shine your shoes–the whole nine yards. All of those efforts make you stand out, and it ensures you make an impression on potential employers,” he said.
- Network – “Even if the current available positions don’t interest you, you never know what opportunities exist down the road. Meeting decision-makers and building relationships now could open up doors for you in the future,” Patrick said.
- Follow Up – “Don’t lose momentum. Think about what the next step is after walking out those doors,” Patrick said. “Develop a strategic plan for follow-up that allows you to build relationships with the contacts you met at the career fair.”
This career fair is made possible through the WorkAble collaboration of JF&CS, NHCO and SHIM. Launched in the fall of 2012 and supported by the United Way of Allegheny County, WorkAble is a county-wide employment initiative. WorkAble serves unemployed and underemployed individuals throughout Allegheny County at NHCO sites in Allison Park and Millvale, SHIM offices in Bethel Park and JF&CS offices in Squirrel Hill. Those who are struggling and need assistance can call the WorkAble hotline at 412-904-5993 or visit www.workableac.com.
If you are looking for a new job, or know someone who is, the Career Development Center can help. For more information about services and programs available at the CDC, call 412.422.5627 or visit www.careerdevelopmentcenter.org.