Last week, the Grand Rapids Chamber hosted its first job fair in the organization’s history.
The event, which was hosted at the Hilton Garden Inn on Thursday, September 30, welcomed around 25 employers across a wide variety of industries and professions. The employment opportunities available ranged from general manufacturing, hospitality, and service roles to specialized positions in a variety of professional fields.
The Chamber made use of its community connections to spread the news far and wide and attract as many jobseekers as possible.
“We reached out to our network of community partners to spread the word, and we couldn’t have done this without them,” said Mark Allen, Director of Business Services at the Chamber.
Strong partnerships with community organizations such as media networks, local colleges, non-profits, and ministries had a significant hand in making this event successful. The job fair was also highlighted on Fox 17, West Michigan’s Morning News, and several other media platforms.
Feedback from the event noted that the Chamber exceeded recruiters’ expectations by bringing in high-quality jobseekers.
“We’ve attended several job fairs recently, and this fair in particular brought the most professional and qualified candidates we’ve seen,” said one recruiter in attendance.
Many employers expressed confidence in their new connections, and jobseekers left equally excited at the opportunities and interviews they had locked in during the fair.
Talent remains a key priority for the Grand Rapids Chamber as the nation works to get back on its feet after the pandemic.
For specific talent needs, please reach out to Mark Allen at 616.771.0348 or mark@grandrapids.org.