Mid Michigan College moves annual fall career fair online amidst COVID-19

In-person job fairs have been hard to come by this year, adding a layer of difficulty for those looking for a job. However, instead of cancelling its annual fall career fair, Mid Michigan College is making it virtual - hoping to still provide an opportunity for employers and prospective employees to connect. 

While prospective employees may miss out on their opportunity to show off a strong handshake, the Virtual Career Fair still allows both job seekers and employers the ability for one-on-one interaction via the Zoom teleconferencing app.

Mid Michigan's Virtual Career Fair will take place Thursday, Sept. 24, from 1 to 4 p.m."We hope it will still be valuable and useful to employers and students to meet with candidates virtually. That’s something they might not have the opportunity to do right now," says Amy Dykhouse, coordinator of Career Services & Student Accommodations at Mid.

The 2020 Virtual Job Fair is a partnership between Mid Michigan College and the Michigan Works! Association. Scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 24, from 1 to 4 p.m., the event is free and open to the public. One does not have to be a student at Mid to participate.

The public is invited to register online. They will then be sent a link to the Zoom session where Dykhouse will connect people with employers, dependent on answers to a survey that accompanies registration.

Dykhouse recommends that applicants have an electronic resume ready and to dress professionally for the video conferences.

Mid Michigan College is expecting more than ten employers to attend the career fair and is still accepting more as of press time. The current list of employers includes Bader & Sons Co., Dufrene Manufacturing, Isabella County Medical Care Facility, McDonald’s, MERRILL Technologies Group, Mid Michigan Community Action Agency, MidMichigan Health, and Migizi EDC, among others.

"We have a wide range of occupational programs at Mid – in the trades, automotive, health care," Dykhouse says. "We have always worked hard to connect students with employers while in school and after."

Visit Mid Michigan College online to register for the Virtual Career Fair.

Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith.

Enjoy this story? Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.