toronto jobs

The Problem:

The rudiments that comprise typical “career fairs” today include employment agencies, training institutions, product placement, and a large array of community organizations on display to share information, network, and boost their own branding. As such, the common career fair today is a letdown for both job seekers and the employers in attendance looking to hire. Job seekers arrive hoping to target a specific industry, not to buy wellness products or register for job search services; as it was likely their current provider who sent them. For employers, the prospective applicants are so varied in their skill sets and career trajectories, it would hardly seem worth their time and cost to attend.

There is no dedicated industry-specific event that aims to identify leading employers in specific, targeted sectors, and then connects them with the right type of skilled and knowledgeable workers to facilitate their future growth. Not yet, anyways.

The Solution:

We need to start leveraging like-minded, industry-specific companies and professionals. By targeting precise occupations, this will maximize the turnout of the most highly skilled professionals and facilitate more effective linkages between labour need and labour supply. In other words, maximizing an employer’s time by accessing a pool of the most qualified and skilled workers that an area/sector has available.

3 Ways We Make This Happen:

1.) By organizing and holding industry-specific career fairs, job developers and recruiters can target and then pre-screen applicants whose skill sets are the most appropriate. The promotion of industry-specific events is more easily and readily shared within job boards, professional associations, and other networks and online forums which are the most relevant for those professionals. This serves to bring in the ‘best of the best’ within each industry.

Job seekers have become overwhelmingly disappointed at “hiring events” that have everything but employers. An industry-specific event manages the expectations for both the employer and applicants by directly addressing who is hiring and what the positions are; lending to itself increased promotional value given the names of the employers and positions. With all of this comes a substantial decrease in the time often wasted when spent talking to professionals and job seekers outside of that industry. While with any event that is open to the public there are exceptions (like those hospital hopefuls who continually attend hospitality hiring events), employers at this type of industry-focused event can expect a sharper degree of defined and refined industry-relevant applicants.

2.) The best candidates are the most prepared. Career fairs that focus on a singular labour pool allow keener professionals to develop clear-cut strategies to demonstrate their skill-sets. When a company’s brand is known, it is easier for professionals to understand the culture of its employees and the products/services that company offers. With this additional perspective, an applicant can tailor their application with more relevance. With less company knowledge, the right talent can, through no fault of their own, miss the opportunity to market their skill-sets. As such, ‘keener’ applicants are given the opportunity to demonstrate that their character and work ethic match not only the position, but the corporate culture within that company. This gives employers a sharper edge in accessing whether a client is indeed a proper fit or is merely going through the motions.

3.) Have faith in results-oriented and successful employment service providers. The Career Foundation is one of the fastest growing employment service providers in Ontario. The range of services offered by The Career Foundation are as vast as they are varied. Our clientele includes, but is never limited to, multi-barriered at-risk youth, newcomers, those who self-disclose as having physical and mental disabilities, recent graduates, internationally trained professionals, storied professionals, and both job seekers and employers looking to access training and hiring incentives provided by the provincial and federal governments. Our yearly assigned (and annually surpassed) targets speak for themselves; as do those whom we have the honour of assisting. It stands to reason then, that our incomparable ability to strategize and assist with such a diverse range of needs, can be equally put to service serving a range of employer needs just as diverse.

The right labour pool is the right talent. If you are an employer looking for a precise skill-set, mindset, and talent, why not directly contact us? If this is the event you want, and this is the precise talent you are looking for, then we are here for your business and your future.

Are you interested in taking part in a re-imagined career fair? If you’re an employer in the financial, health or technology industries, take part in the GTA Hiring Event on May 15th, 2018 at the MaRS Discovery District!

Learn more about the event and register for the GTA Hiring Event here.

Written by Jason D. Smith (with assistance from Eve Hart)