Jeffrey Mosher welcomes back Teri Sand, SHRM-CP, PHR, CBSP, CRP, Business Services Manager, Capital Area Michigan Works!, Lansing, MI, but serving Ingham Eaton, and Clinton Counties
Theme: Teri talks about the fourth annual DHHS Job Fair, which took place the previous day, and previews the upcoming Juneteenth Job Fair.
Question 1: Yesterday was the fourth annual MDHHS Spring Job Fair. Can you tell us about this event, how many employers and job-seekers attended, and how it’s changed over the years?
The annual DHHS job fair is quickly becoming one of the signature events on the Capital Area’s workforce development calendar.
MDHHS partnered with Capital Area Michigan Works!; Catholic Charities of Ingham, Eaton & Clinton Counties; and the Lansing Police Department for this year’s event.
It started in the parking lot of the Ingham County Health Department in 2022, coming out of the pandemic, and featured 20 or so employers, including local government agencies.
This year, we had more than 40 employers and [[approximate number of job-seekers]] at the event.
The event took place at the Gannon Building on Lansing Community College’s main campus to accommodate the number of employers and potential employees.
Practically every job sector and industry was represented — public and private, large corporations and small businesses.
Question 2: Nowadays, so much of the job search process is digital. Someone looking for work can fill out dozens of applications from the comfort of home, and employers can use screening tools — including A.I. — to zero in on the highest quality candidates. What’s the advantage of attending in-person job fairs like these, both for the employer and the worker?
First of all, we need to remember that although technology like internet access and smartphones seem ubiquitous, not every job-seeker has access to them.
That’s why, in addition to helping people fill out digital applications at our American Job Centers, we also teach digital literacy to help people who need to upskill be able to find more job opportunities online.
Second, Capital Area Michigan Works! is proud to invite employers who are offering full-time, permanent jobs paying $15 an hour or more.
That means the employers have quality jobs to offer.
It’s our mission to not only help residents of the tri-county area find work, but find good jobs with self-sustaining wages.
These employers are also open to hiring from the Capital region’s substantial New American population, giving those with limited English proficiency a chance to fully participate in the local economy.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, what’s missing from filling out a form on a website and interviewing over Zoom is the human connection between employers and applicants.
If employers only look for keywords on resumes and cover letters, they might miss the crucial soft skills that potential employees have to offer.
A cover letter and resume emailed to a hiring manager might not convey the passion, drive and integrity that a job-seeker brings to the table.
And I think that really speaks to the core of what we do: bridging the gap between employer and employee, creating a human connection that leads to long-term success for both sides.
Question 3: For employers or workers who were unaware of this event, do you have any similar opportunities coming up? Where can people find more information?
Next month, the Job and Community Resource Fair sponsored by Juneteenth/NAACP Lansing Branch and Capital Area Michigan Works! will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 21, at St. Joe Park on Hillsdale Street in Lansing.