Virtual Job Fair For Putnam, Westchester Job Seekers, Employers

The Westchester-Putnam Workforce Development Board and county executives Robert P. Astorino and MaryEllen Odell are jointly sponsoring a Virtual Job Fair. Until the end of November, the online fair will connect Westchester and Putnam County residents to private sector businesses and non-profit organizations across all business sectors that are ready to hire for full-time, part-time, and seasonal positions.

“Westchester has thriving businesses and the most educated workforce in the country, but connecting these businesses with qualified candidates can sometimes be a challenge,” Astorino said in an announcement. “This Virtual Job Fair will help connect businesses with qualified candidates who are ready to take the next step in their career.”

After registering online, employers can post their available positions free-of-charge and have access to thousands of qualified workers who are ready to get to work. Job seekers who register can post their resumes and apply for open positions.

There are numerous jobs in various industries posted on the Virtual On-Line Job Fair portal, including positions in sales, retail, IT, accounting, financial services, banking, engineering, graphic arts, custodial and administrative work, food prep, and demolition. Employers with open positions include Bloomingdales, Putnam ARC, RIZZO Associates, and Red Oak Transportation.

“The Virtual Job Fair is a win-win for Putnam County businesses and residents,” said Odell. “Businesses who hire our residents will find that they possess the skills, education, training, professionalism and confidence to help their business grow, while enhancing the life of the communities in which they work and live.”

• Employers interested in hiring should take the following steps:
• Register and post open positions.
• Screen resumes online or with the assistance of Career Center staff
• Schedule times to interview selected qualified candidates onsite or off-site and provide feedback to the job developer

Job seekers interested in applying should take the following steps:

• Register
• Post their resume online (current users do not have to re-register)
• Review the postings on the website and meet with a career coach/Job developer

“The benefits of a virtual job fair include the behind the scenes matching of qualified candidates across both counties to the available positions posted by employers making for a greater hiring pool than they might see by posting one job at a time,” said Donnovan Beckford, Executive Director of the Westchester-Putnam One Stop Development Board. “By screening candidates for available jobs and facilitating the interview process at our locations, our One Stop Career Centers maximize efficiencies for both the candidates, who may interview for multiple jobs on the same day, and the employers who can see many qualified candidates in a shorter period of time."

Look for or post local opportunities in the Jobs section on Ossining-Croton-on-Hudson Patch.

This is just one of the many services the WPOSDB offers.

"We also assist employers by conducting mini job fairs for companies who may have several open positions at the same time and eliminate the expense associated with conducting their own job fair at their location or offsite,” he added.

Partner organizations include NYSDOL, Business Council of Westchester, Westchester County Association, Hospitality Resource Group, ACCES-VR, Yonkers Employment Center and Office of Work Activities (OWA), and the Westchester’s Faith-Based Community Partnership.

The board provides an environment where job-seekers and employers interact to meet the needs for a highly qualified regional workforce.

The WPWDB seeks to strengthen partnerships with business sectors, service providers and the public education system to offer career services and various training modalities to youth and adults. Seeking innovative solutions driven by regional business needs, WPWDB develops model programs, pursues funding opportunities, and shares leading edge practices. The One-Stop Career Centers are physical locations that provide resources and services to job-seekers to assist in their job search and development and or career change. The centers are staffed by a wide cross section of staff drawn from the one stop centers partnering agencies. The centers offer a wide range of services and state-of-the-art equipment that is used to train customers to fit into the future workforce.