Time for a New Career? Come to the Charlotte Job Fair, Feb. 19th

I'm excited to announce that we've finally gotten our first Charlotte job fair of 2008 scheduled for February 19th. Because February is just around the corner, I thought now is a good time as any to offer some resources to attending a job fair and getting the most out of this event.

First of all let me tell you about our job fairs. Usually we get anywhere from 30-50 employers to sign up for the event. They'll show up about 2 hours before the start time to set up their displays and information.

Job seekers will be allowed to enter at 10:00 am. You'll be able to speak with recruiters from these different companies who are looking to hire in a variety of industries in Charlotte. This is a great opportunity for those of you who aren't quite sure exactly what you're looking for or for an upcoming graduate who isn't sure what they want to do after graduation. This way you can just talk with the recruiters to get an idea of what to expect.

But we publicize all of our employers prior to the event. You can find the updated list by clicking the Job Fair banner at the top of the page or by clicking here. So this way those of you who are experienced in a particular industry or who are looking for something specific you know who is hiring and what they are hiring for before you step foot into our event. Employment Guide Job Fairs are a great way to get a sampling of what employers are hiring and to see if you can better your situation. They're also a great opportunity for those who are looking to relocate to Charlotte to meet with multiple employers at once and meet employers face-to-face. (As a transplant myself I know how hard it is to get hired without being able to meet a recruiter in person.)

When you show up, no registration is required but we ask that you fill out a very brief survey that lets us know how you found out about our event. This way we know how you heard about it and how best to let people know about our events in the future. You'll also get some free job search information.

Last year, we made a couple of videos on what it was like to attend our job fairs. We asked recruiters their advice on what makes them want to hire someone or ask them back for an interview. Watch our recruiters' advice video here. We also made a video of success stories of job seekers who attended and what they had to say to those of you who had never been to a job fair before. Watch What Job Seekers are Saying video here.

You'll want to read up on how to get the most out of a job fair and what to expect.

This event surely will be a great opportunity to find out what else is out there, especially if you are unhappy with your current situation. If you have any questions, please feel free to use the Chat box, leave a comment or send me an email. Look forward to seeing you in February!

- Rosie Reilman