63 Individuals Hired at Job Fair Held by Resident Resources Network
An innovative approach to the traditional job fair led to more than 60 low-income, underemployed and hard-to-place jobseekers to employment opportunities. Held in March by Resident Resources Network (RRN), a nonprofit established in 2011 by Wallick Communities, this job fair strayed from more traditional methods by bringing the event to jobseekers and the community in which they live. The event was held at Rosewind, an affordable housing community nestled in the Linden area. Many of its residents and those in surrounding neighborhoods face obstacles when it comes to finding employment. Such barriers make attending a job fair unlikely, especially if it’s at a conference center across town. So, RRN devised a job fair that…
- Brought employers and service providers onsite, directly to jobseekers.
- Included employers who are willing to work with those that face barriers, such as lack of transportation.
- Invited local service providers who can connect those in Linden to resources that will address those barriers and improve the likelihood of employment. (e.g. GED programs, Legal Aid, job readiness training, etc.)
Lisa Dixon, service coordinator, led the effort behind this successful job fair. She also worked individually with several residents, who could not be in attendance, to create and pass out their resumes at the job fair. Ultimately, 63 jobseekers found employment with the following companies:
- Dream Core Marketing
- Legal Shield
- COTA
- Lowes
- Acloche’
- G6/ Manpower
- Speedway
- UPS
- Staffing Leadership Group
- Kroger Distribution
- Nurses Heart
- S.A.F.E. Felons Court
Late fall, RRN hopes to hold its next job fair and experience even greater success in helping others achieve their goals by connecting them to employers and service providers.
