Virtual job fair coming to Indianapolis, giving hope to Hoosiers without work
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – On Monday, a virtual job fair will make its way to Indianapolis with more than 25 companies actively seeking new employees.
That’s good news for Hoosiers looking for work with the unemployment rate in Indiana at 5%. But timing is critical.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports more than 17 million people have received the first dose of a coronavirus vaccine. And with that number increasing daily, state governments are hopeful an economic boost will follow.
“So, I think this gives hope. I think anyone looking for a job this is a great opportunity to connect with them and actually interview with some employers versus the traditional submitting a job and not hearing back,” said Scott Lobenberg, who is the CEO of JobFairX which hosts virtual job fairs in nearly 60 markets across the country.
Monday’s event in the Circle City will put the focus on entry-level to mid-career opportunities at companies like Geico Insurance, Starbucks, Drivetime, Dollar Tree and Harrah’s Hoosier Park, to name a few.
So far, there are about 250 candidates signed up.
“We try to have a really good ratio of employers and job seekers,” said Lobenberg.
With the pandemic and a national unemployment rate above 6%, JobFairX says they haven’t actually seen an increase in the number of candidate sign ups this year over last year.
Lobenberg points to those people collecting unemployment out of fear of leaving their homes and contracting getting COVID-19.
What is different this year is the number of companies signing up.
“These employers are experiencing a decline in college recruiting and open houses and are limited in how they can attract talent,” Lobenberg says, adding it’s a good time for those seeking work to take advantage of.
“If you get dressed you’re ready and put your game face on. I will always tell people to dress like you’re dressing for an in-person interview because how you look is how you are going to portray yourself,” adds Lobenberg.
Registering for the virtual job fair takes about two minutes and personal pages can be built from there.
Some participating companies require applicants to answer a series of questions before moving onto an interview, but Lobenberg says for those who don’t pass JobFairX will recommend other opportunities that are a fit to have an interview during the event.
The Indianapolis Virtual Job Fair is Jan. 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information or to register, click here.