MiVirtualCareerFair provides opportunity to connect virtually with employers from across Michigan

Job-seekers network online with companies from across the state

November 3, 2016 - Michigan employers and job-seekers can connect through a state-sponsored virtual career fair on Wednesday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Talent Investment Agency's MiVirtualCareerFairs bring together Michigan employers and talent from across the state and the globe in an online, virtual event.

While the event is open to all job-seekers, this is an especially good time for veterans to participate as the upcoming Veterans Day observance heightens the awareness among many employers of the tremendous skills and talent veterans offer.

Since 2012 more than 350 employers and over 40,000 job-seekers have been connected through the state's 20 sponsored events. For the third MiVirtualCareerFair event of 2016, 38 Michigan employers in varying industries and more than 348 opportunities were highlighted and featured. There's no cost for job-seekers to participate. Registration information can be found at http://www.michiganvirtualcareerfair.com/. During virtual events, job-seekers can explore employer booths, interact one-on-one with participating employers and search and apply for job opportunities. In addition, job-seekers can access information about career development programs and resources in the event Media Center and Resource Lounge.

"Virtual Career Fairs are a convenient, cutting-edge way to bring employers and job-seekers together," said Wanda M. Stokes, director of the Michigan Talent Investment Agency. "This event allows job-seekers to apply for several jobs at once as well as engage in virtual chats with representatives from many of the participating companies. Whether you're an employer seeking the right talent or a job-seeker looking for the right job, Virtual Career Fairs are a great way to reach your goals."

The Michigan Nonprofit Association is participating as a resource to assist job-seekers interested in finding opportunities in the nonprofit sector.

"We thought the February event went great," said Bill Gesaman, director of stakeholder engagement for the Michigan Nonprofit Association.  "We had 845 visitors to our booth.  We provided job-seeking advice that is relevant to the nonprofit sector.  We ended up having a spike in visits to our Nonprofit Job Board.  We had 2,100 page views, compared to our average of 770."

"The MiVirtualCareerFair is the most convenient of career fairs. Imagine an entire day of on-the-spot interviews, allowing you to build professional relationships with employers and job-seekers alike, without leaving the comfort of your home or office. What a great concept," said Ashley Petkus, director of Recruiting for New York Life Insurance Co.

MiVirtualCareerFair is the next greatest trend of networking and communication with employers. It's convenient for employers and job-seekers alike because you only need to have a computer and internet connection to participate. No need to travel across state or prepare for an entire day's event at a career fair.

Interviews are not guaranteed during or after the event. All job openings posted during the events are accessible to participants for 30 days after event. Post-event, job-seekers can return to the environment and apply for more job opportunities during the 30 day post-event reporting period. Employers receive in-depth analytics including candidate resumes, applications, chat transcripts, and booth visit data, which further solidify connections made during the event.

For a current listing of available jobs across Michigan visit Pure Michigan Talent Connect at mitalent.org. Pure Michigan Talent Connect is the state's official labor exchange. It connects employers with job-seekers and offers a variety of features, including a "Just for You" page that has information for older job-seekers, returning citizens, recent graduates and those changing careers. There's no cost for employers to post jobs or for candidates to search.