Hundreds of career and employment hopefuls could be found at the Foothills Centennial Centre last week, with 44 employers there to see them.
The gathering wasn’t happenstance, but the 10th annual career expo held by McBride Career Group (MCG). The event is one of the biggest the company hosts, showcasing vendors from the Foothills and Calgary.
“They’re here today to offer perhaps some job opportunities so they can meet with potential candidates face-to-face and conduct interviews,” said Sue Richmond, co-ordinator for Okotoks’ MCG. “It’s also service providers in our community so we know who is out there and what services they provide to the community, and a couple post-secondarys as well.”
The event ran from 1-6 p.m. on March 7, and by 1:30 the venue was filled to bursting, much to Richmond’s excitement.
This year MCG had a more cohesive staff and a strong marketing package, said Richmond, which helped the expo grow beyond previous years.
“[Turn out] shifts with economic times,” she said. “Last year we had 28 vendors and about 400 participants come through the door. We’re hoping there’s going to be more participants this year, and vendors have increased from 28 to 44 as well.”
The economy has hit the community hard, and it showed in the showing at the expo, with the registration line at times 30 people deep.
“[The economy] has definitely made that competitive edge very sharp,” said Richmond. “The fact is, it’s an employers market right now, so they have the opportunity to choose the best of the best, and it’s a very competitive market.”
The benefit to attending a career expo, said Richmond, was the opportunity to meet the employer first and make an impression, instead of a faceless online application.
“An employer has the opportunity to look an applicant in the face, shake their hand, have a quick conversation with them and can get that first impression of who that person is as opposed to what they can offer on their résumé,” she said.
For the best success applying for a new job, Richmond said applicants need to have their résumés and cover letters ready to go in advance, and they need to research the employer in advance in order to streamline yourrésumé.
In addition, Richmond suggested practising interview skills and brushing up on technology skills, as employers are increasingly turning to technology “as a means of application.”
For those that couldn’t attend the expo, Richmond said the MCG is available to help support employment goals year-round.
“Our role in the community is we help with employment opportunities,” she said.
“People looking to change careers, those who are seeking job opportunities, those who are looking at post-secondary, we assist them with those goals.
“It’s interesting because we’ve been here for 10 years and while we have a lot of people coming through our doors, there are those who don’t know that there is a career and employment agency in town.
“Sometimes until you need that service you’re not really aware that it’s there.”
