PMI LA Blogs

I’m a sucker when it comes to good branding. While not usually a career fair type when job searching, I felt myself magically pulled to attend LA County’s “Hiring Spree” because it sounds like job opportunities will present themselves one after another if I attend. So I went to see for myself – and lo and behold, opportunities were present, right in front of me, and with the added bonus of a live person to help with next steps. Way to go LA County Office of Education! Kudos!  

First off, there were over 35 vendors present, all with representatives ready to show you what roles, classes or training were on offer. While vendors featured regular job fair participants such as guard security services, law enforcement, and caregivers, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of opportunities available to project managers and analysts.

Remember the first rule: try to connect with a real person and have an actual conversation. 🎯

Well, if you attend one of these well-planned events, face-to-face interaction is guaranteed.

 

COME PREPARED

I showed up relatively unprepared, meaning, I wasn’t sure what vendors would be present, what roles would be on offer, and if there would be anything interesting. Wrong approach! The trick is to choose a few vendors that interest you, scan the QR codes then and there, and peruse that vendor’s job board – then and there. Then have a real conversation with the representative about what they're looking for. You got it – then and there.

Sure you can research and call later, no problem with that strategy, but if you want to master the process, your best practice is “right here, right now, in-person”. Just my humble opinion, but by the time you get home, you'll have already made a few human connections around specific opportunities, moving you closer to an interview. Ah, an interview! We like those things.

 

WHAT TO EXPECT

Which brings us to the million dollar question – are job fairs worth it? Well, let me count thy ways:

• First up is BMO bank. Their job board is at: Jobs.bmo.com/us. When searching the site I found other roles lateral to finance, such as “Director, Not For Profit Healthcare/Education” which requires 10 years experience and pays in a range above $150k. Niiice. Next up is a “Client Delivery Team Manager” requiring Client Relationship, Financial Services or Service Excellence in a corporate or banking environment  (preferred, not required), and preferring a Bachelor’s in Business, Finance or Marketing. Really? A bachelor’s in marketing? Cool! If you don’t have that experience, the role goes on to state “any other related discipline or commensurate work experience considered” – that’s a good sign they understand folks come from all different backgrounds. The pay range is $88-$165k and the role is available at 13 locations (including Los Angeles). And the best part? There, ready for a real conversation, is Giselle Guillen, a Retail Relationship Banker, ready to chat in more detail about what you might be interested in, and move you right along the interview path as efficiently as possible. (There’s that “interview” word again.)

 

• Next up is the LA County Office of Education at: https://www.lacoe.edu/jobs/hr/classified. This site is geared toward non-teaching positions that support educators and students throughout LA County. Upon clicking the big red “Current Opportunities” button – boom!, the first role is “Director, Enterprise Project Management Office”. While the posting notes that “candidates who meet the minimum requirements will be invited to participate in an examination that may consist of Supplemental Questionnaire Review and a Performance Exam", this is a juicy role for someone interested in driving enterprise-wide initiatives at the portfolio level.

 

• Another role posted with LACOE is that of “Public Information Officer”, and mentions a background in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, graphic design, cinematic arts/film/television productions (or other fields) is preferred. It pays $10-$12k per month and includes project management as a key competency. And once again, there's an actual human being ready to answer questions and help you navigate next steps. Shawn Toyohara, a human resources analyst, is ready to assist you with any information you want to ask. Niiice.

 

• No job fair would be complete without a temp agency attending, and here we have AppleOne, whose motto is “Hiring Made Human”. The job board features both full-time and temp roles, with an “Electrical Project Manager” coming up in my initial search. I also found a “Project Administrator” role in the construction sector. Uh oh, they actually misspelled the title as “Prodject Adminstrator”...maybe don’t apply to that one. But there are roles galore here – account managers, coordinators, office managers, accountants, supervisors –  and analysts and specialists of all stripes, even research assistants. Since there are no fewer than 100 roles posted at their job board in a two-week period, I realize AppleOne is a good site to check in with regularly. And of course, Area Manager Domonique Passarello is there for direct interaction and guidance.

 

The keyword here folks? Human Connection. 🎯 This feels far more authentic than slinging resumes into a black hole and hoping an algorithm notices. Real conversations. That has a nice ring to it in this age of AI, ATS disconnect, and what I like to call, “six degrees of search separation”.

 

• But wait! It turns out there IS another talent agency present. Marlen Mejia of Aerotek is there to help guide you through a world of manufacturing, logistics, robotics and automation. While the job board lists skill sets for machine operators, clean room operations, mechanics, forklift operators, and other warehouse specialists, I also see a Field Coordinator role tracking projects, updating schedules, and handling auditing, invoices and billing. It requires experience in construction and project management, and proficiency in data entry. There is another role for a Logistics Associate, supporting multiple departments with logistics, inventory and general production tasks. Many of the roles are working in a logistics or warehouse environment “within a technology-focused or defense-related setting”. If it’s your cup of tea, it sounds like a good amount of moving parts to my ears – which means a good number of people needed to oversee the process. Even if it’s the nightshift, it could be upwardly mobile with opportunities at every turn. Lastly, I’m inclined to mention a cool attribute of Aerotek’s website, featuring the “How to Get a Job” page. Besides standard fare about how to interview and improve your resume, they post what a day in the life of a “Facilities Technician” is like, as well as a “Ramp Agent” within the aviation industry. Yours truly finds this interesting since I’ve never been quite sure what a “Quality Control Inspector” actually does, and I’ve often wondered what “a day in the life of [you name the role]” would actually look like. We could use more posts like this. Here’s to staying curious!

 

WHY IT MATTERS: CONVERSATIONS WITH REAL PEOPLE

Why did I put myself through this research? Because live interaction changes the equation. And it feels like real conversations create opportunities that job boards simply can't. Not to mention, at a Hiring Spree, you can find representatives from companies potentially looking to onboard a candidate fairly quickly, train them well, and get them up and running.

Don’t know about you, but as someone who consistently lobbed resumes into a black hole for years, this pathway sounds efficient. By the time you leave the fair, you've already started networking around specific opportunities with actual people. Actual people!

Perhaps I should mention that several agencies and companies profiled here include “Best of Staffing” awards to boot. In any case, I’m a sucker for good branding. Even though it was a career fair, the “Hiring Spree” sounded like fun – and it was. It made for a comfortable one-on-one event, chatting with reps about what you bring to the table, what they’re looking for at the moment, and where you would fit best. My advice? Definitely go! Real people, real conversations, and real opportunities are all around. Make the effort to connect, and something tells me they'll return the favor.

 

Hiringspreela.org serves up job fairs all over LA County and is funded by the LA County Office of Education (LACOE). Although the program originated with welfare-to-work initiatives, the job fairs feature dozens of employers representing a good mix of industries – and lots of open roles at any given time.

The LACOE website is here https://lacoegain.org/hiring-spree-la/ but there are career fairs like this year-round from myriad sponsors.