ARIZONA@WORK Pinal County, in partnership with AZ Department of Economic Security (DES) and Career Connectors, held an immensely successful Career Expo on June 14th at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino’s Event Center in Maricopa, AZ. More than 480 job seekers registered for this free event and attendees were able to connect with hiring managers from 47 companies that are based in the Metro Phoenix, Pinal County, and Tucson areas. The companies represented a vast variety of industries in both blue and white collar jobs – and everything in between! Open positions included many in the healthcare industry (including mental health); manufacturing, production, engineering; education (including tutoring); 3D printing (of houses!); law enforcement; and the financial field.
Attendees – both pre-registered and walk-ins – were able to find out more about the companies’ open in-person, remote, and hybrid positions directly from those who are hiring. Additionally, job seekers were encouraged to apply to open positions using the links to our employers’ job boards.
The event was well-received by attendees, with 94% rating it as “high” or “very high”. The event was also a success for employers, who were able to connect with qualified jobseekers. Of the 47 employers who attended, 100% said they would participate in a future event.
Resources
Printers were available for those needing to print a resume or other paperwork relating to their job search or their unemployment insurance application. Computers were also onsite for job seekers so they could access information they might need during this all day event. The onsite business center was one of the busiest portions of the event, helping many people get registered on the Arizona Job Connection, the state’s online job bank.
Unemployment Insurance benefits questions were answered and help applying for unemployment benefits were also available through DES Unemployment Insurance and ARIZONA@WORK Pinal County’s energetic staff. Career coaching professionals were also on hand to answer questions and provide guidance. Jason Wiseman, Ann Doucette, and Klaine Doucette provided finance coaching where job seekers could get help with their personal finances, including budgeting, saving, and investing. Additionally, free professional business portraits were taken, courtesy of Jessica Lawson.
Many attendees expressed interest in learning more about ARIZONA@WORK Pinal County services, and 219 people asked for additional information.
Workshops and Coaching
The extensive Career Expo also featured interactive workshops and one on one coaching from 9am-4pm, with the sizable hiring event running from 1pm-4pm. The interactive workshop resources, which include invaluable handouts and tips, continue to be made available for those looking to improve their professional skills and optimize their job search experience.
Resumes
The Résumé Essentials workshop, led by Lori Norris, with professional coaches Donna Tucker, Krista Morris, and Valerie Mittleman, went over the many résumé do’s and do not’s that these Certified Professional Résumé Writers recommend.
Interviewing
Interview Skills for “Hire Me” Impact, led by Carmen Payne, with professional coaches Bob Wilson, Pamela Heward, and Gina Pollard, offered tips on interview prep, answering questions – even the difficult ones! – as well as SWOT and STAR tools.
The LinkedIn Basics: Building and Optimizing workshop, presented by Kitty Carlisle and accompanied by professional coaches Miriam Spinner and Jim Tousek, led attendees step by step through the LinkedIn profile process, providing tips and actionable steps that would help job seekers stand out to recruiters.
ARIZONA@WORK Pinal County Career Expo
This extraordinary event, offered at absolutely no cost to job seekers, offered help, encouragement, resources, connections, and – most importantly – hope to all in attendance. “We were so excited to be able to offer this incredible opportunity to those who are currently – or will be – looking for work,” says Jessica Pierce, Career Connectors Founder and CEO. “The atmosphere was full of optimism and positivity, with literally hundreds of open positions in a wide range of industries. We were proud to be able to offer the absolute best in the business to run the workshops and coach job seekers. We are always praying for candidates to land into the career of their dreams, and events like the ARIZONA@WORK Pinal County Career Expo go a long way towards helping to make that happen.”
Thank you!
We would like to thank everyone who made the career program a success including:
- The Pinal County Board of Supervisors and the Pinal County Workforce Development Board for their support.
- The staff/volunteers with ARIZONA@WORK Pinal County, AZ Department of Economic Security and Career Connectors
- The professional job search trainers and coaches
- And most importantly, the jobseekers and employers who attended.
ARIZONA@WORK Pinal County
ARIZONA@WORK Pinal County is the statewide workforce development network that helps businesses of all sizes and types find, develop, and retain the best workers possible. They offer services and tools to help those looking for work across the state find employment opportunities.
Career Connectors
Career Connectors hosts in-person and virtual events across the Phoenix metro area and its outlying communities. These events are always offered FREE to job seekers. We encourage all who are unemployed or unemployed, those who want to change careers, and those just beginning their careers to refer often to our Events page and register for any (or all!) of our upcoming events.
