WATERVILLE, ME – Central Maine Growth Council is leveraging the success of its 2019 Maine Virtual Job Fair pilot to launch a full-scale recruitment fair on February 26. The first of its kind in Maine, the 2019 pilot connected employers with over 200 job-seekers and graduating students via a video chat platform that eliminated geography, transportation, climate, and time barriers inherent in the job and talent search.
The Maine Virtual Job Fair (MVJF), a project of the Central Maine Growth Council and sponsored by MaineJobs, marries the interactive aspect of traditional job fairs with the conveniences of technology. Conceived within the context of Maine’s workforce shortage, MVJF makes it easy to meet job candidates where they are.
“The companies participating in the Maine Virtual Job Fair are extremely forward-thinking and adaptive to their workforce’s needs,” explains Elaine Theriault-Currier, development coordinator at Central Maine Growth Council. “Their innovative recruitment strategies reflect strong, mindful company cultures and position them as top employers within the state.”
The Maine Virtual Job Fair web page (www.centralmaine.org/mvjf) is the portal to connect employers and job-seekers. Job-seekers may browse open positions of participating employers and schedule video chat appointments with recruiters for February 26. The flexibility of time and location is key to reaching Maine’s workforce, most of which is already employed, making it difficult to attend physical workforce recruitment fairs.
Yet, the difficulty of finding employees has widened employers’ scope to include markets and audiences not previously targeted, particularly those potential employees still in school. High schools, colleges, and universities throughout Maine are invited to connect with employers through the video chat platform. Students may explore career paths, learn how their course concepts are applied in the real world, and inquire about job openings for current and graduating students.
For those without access to internet or computers, Central Maine Growth Council has partnered with a statewide network of libraries and CareerCenters to bring Maine Virtual Job Fair to all interested job-seekers. Call 207-680-7300 for a list of participating service centers.
Interested job-seekers may browse participating employers and open positions on the Maine Virtual Job Fair web page (www.centralmaine.org/mvjf). Employers interested in participating in the fair are welcome to contact Elaine Theriault-Currier at etcurrier@centralmaine.org or 207-680-7300 for further details.
Last modified: February 12, 2020
