The Pitfalls of Chronic Job Searching
September 24, 2007Human Rights Resources
December 6, 2007From Ontario
The Rainbow Employment Network of Toronto Presents Its Inaugural LGBTQ Job Fair
By Mary Ann Stoddard
The Rainbow Employment Network of Toronto (R.E.N.T.) proudly presents its inaugural LGBTQ job fair at the Primrose Hotel on Thursday, March 6th from 10:30am to 4pm. The event is free, and all job-seeking members of the LGBTQ community are invited to attend, including those living outside the Toronto core. Employers and recruitment firms from several market sectors and locations are registered to participate. A small group of community-based agencies with significant information and/or resources for the Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer community will also be on site.
The Rainbow Employment Network – Toronto are a group of employment service professionals working in not-for-profit agencies and dedicated volunteers who are committed to improving employment services for the LGBTQ Community. The group was first brought together in May 2007 to produce employment guides for distribution during Pride weekend. Funded by the Lesbian and Gay Community Appeal Foundation and organized by the Fred Victor Centre, the group produced What You Need To Know About Employment and Understanding Your Legal Rights In Employment brochures for gay and bisexual men; lesbian and bisexual women; and transsexual, transgender and 2-spirited people.
Because the group is committed to gender identity and sexual orientation equity in the workplace, and because they enjoyed working together, the coalition stayed in place after Pride weekend. The group had a booth at the g-force Diversity Job Fair to raise awareness about LGBTQ issues in the workplace. They also held workshops and resume clinics in advance of the fair to help prepare job seekers.
Now all energy is focused on the Rainbow Employment Network’s own inaugural job fair on March 6th. Job seekers from the LGBTQ community are encouraged to attend a special workshop on Monday, March 3rd at 2 pm at the Parliament ERC (595 Parliament St. A special resume clinic will be held on Friday, February 29th from 10am to 1pm at the Parliament ERC, or clients can check with the Fred Victor Centre or the Toronto Centre ERC for regularly scheduled open resume clinics.
R.E.N.T. wishes to thank Employment Ontario for its funding of the job fair and the Fred Victor Centre, the Toronto Centre for Education and Training, and the Office Workers Career Centre for their flexibility in granting staff hours and providing facilities to make the first ever LGBTQ job fair in Toronto possible.
Mary Ann Stoddard is currently the Resource Centre Specialist at the OWCC. She is proud to be one of the original members of the Rainbow Employment Network – Toronto and grateful for the opportunity to provide employment assistance focused on her community.
From British Columbia
HIRING FAIRS – Success for both Employers and Job Seekers
By Tanya Turner
Nothing can be better than getting face-to-face with employers and interested candidates to determine suitability for available positions. That’s why hiring fairs are a great opportunity for everyone. Attendees are educated about employer organizations and hiring needs. Employers have opportunity to collect resumes and possibly interview job seekers.
In March of 2007, The Career Centre hosted a Spring Hiring Fair with 17 local employers showcasing available jobs. Over 250 interested candidates attended the event. Employers were enthusiastic about the fair and feedback from the job seekers confirmed that having the opportunity to connect with many employers in one location was positive for them to develop a career path. This first foray into executing a hiring fair event was a success, with much enthusiasm and interest from both employers and job-seekers. The Spring Hiring Fair was so popular that all employers could not be accommodated. Based on feedback and interest, another event was planned for the fall season, building on the strengths of the first initiative.
The Fall Hiring Fair, held on Thursday September 27th, attracted more than 600 job-seekers to peruse more than 30 employer booths. The Fair gave job seekers the opportunity to network, transition into the workforce or research a job. Private interview booths were available to accommodate on-site interviewing. At the hiring fair, employers were surveyed about top attributes they are looking for in employees. Common responses included: honesty, good interpersonal, customer service and teamwork skills, positive attitude and enthusiasm, reliability, flexibility and ability to multi-task.
The Career Centre provided additional help in advance of the fairs offering free workshops and individual consulting to help prepare interested job-seekers. Support was also provided to employers, including providing an ‘Employers Toolkit’ to help them prepare and make booths as appealing as possible to attract potential employees. The Career Centre is planning its third hiring fair, scheduled for March 11th, 2008 at the Parksville Community and Conference Centre. This event promises to be the best yet! Even before the date was announced, many employers came forward to express an interest in participating.
Other employment service providers in the mid-island area will be hosting hiring fairs in the spring. In late February, Supporting Employment Transitions in Nanaimo and Global Vocational Services Inc. in Duncan will be hosting events. Employment Navigators in Ladysmith will hold their fair in March.
The current labour market crunch has employers ready to get creative in finding interested candidates and a hiring fair is not only economical, but also an effective way for employers to connect directly with prospective candidates. It also provides job seekers with an excellent way to glean a taste of the company culture.
If you have any questions about The Career Centre Spring Hiring Fair, please contact Tanya Turner at (250) 248-3205 or by email tturner@careercentre.org.
Tanya Turner is the Operations and Communications Coordinator at Central Vancouver Island Job Opportunities Building Society, which operates The Career Centre. The Career Centre is a federally funded program providing employment services in the Parksville and Qualicum area.