City of Hampton Sends Job Seekers to Goodwill for Job Fair Preparation
January 16, 2018Goodwill is offering workshops in January to prepare job seekers for a major hiring event in Hampton in February.
The “Hampton Get Hired & Resource Fair” will include more than 90 employers in search of candidates for positions in customer service, government, hospitality, labor/trades, manufacturing and retail. The event, hosted by the City of Hampton Economic Development Department, is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on February 6th at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton. The free event is open to the public.
Goodwill’s job fair preparation workshops will take place January 29-31 at its Hampton Community Employment Center (CEC) at 1911 Saville Row. Employment specialists will provide personalized assistance to job seekers. The workshops are free to attend, and registration is required. Job seekers can call 757-951-4200 for more information and to register.
“We are excited to help job seekers prepare to meet prospective employers and improve their opportunities to get hired at the job fair,” said Marilyn Richardson, manager of Goodwill’s Hampton CEC. “Goodwill staff members stand ready to help job seekers with everything from resume preparation and interviewing skills to how to network at job fairs.”
Although Hampton has held this job fair in the past, this is the first time city officials are specifically directing job seekers to Goodwill’s CEC before the event. “We want our residents to be successful, and we want them to know where they can go to get employment services,” said Pamela Croom, workforce development coordinator for the City of Hampton.
“Local business owners have told us they have jobs, but they can’t find skilled candidates,” added Croom. According to data from the U.S. Department of Labor, Hampton’s unemployment rate is 5 percent as of November 2017, higher than the statewide average of 3.6 percent.
“Goodwill is an important partner in bringing that number down. They understand our employers and the people who live in this community. They are a staple in offering employment services, and visiting the CEC prior to the job fair is going to give job seekers a leg up,” said Croom.
Goodwill’s workshops will provide job seekers the opportunity to meet with an employment specialist and get personalized information on employment training and job-readiness programs that include:
• Resume writing and building
• Interviewing skills
• Dressing for success
• How to network during a job fair
Goodwill is a proud co-sponsor of the “Hampton Get Hired & Resource Fair” — along with the Peninsula Council for Workforce Development, Peninsula Worklink, Virginia Employment Commission, Hampton City Schools and Jobs for Life.
