Lincoln Holds Drive-Through Job Fair

How a local job fair is helping people find jobs during the pandemic.

COUNTRY ARELOOKING FOR JOBSACCORDING TO THEDEPARTMENT OFLABOR HERE INNEBRASKA MORETHAN 44-THOUSANDARE UNEMPLOYED.IN LINCOLN TODAYTHE CITY HELD ADRIVE-THROUGH JOBFAIR, WHEREPROSPECTIVEEMPLOYEES COULDDRIVE UP AND GETINFORMATION ABOUTCOMPANIES WITHOUTEVER LEAVING THECONFINES OF THEIRCAR.REPORTER PHILBERGMAN WENTDOWN TO CHECK ITOUT.GOOD EVENING.I WASN'T REALLY SUREWHAT TO EXPECT ATTHE JOB FAIR TODAYBUT IT'S BEEN ASTEADY STREAM, INFACT 30 CARS WERELINED UP A HALFHOUR BEFORE THEEVENT WAS STARTINGAT 10 A.M.THE JOB FAIR HAD500PACKETS OFINFORMATION FORPROSPECTIVEEMPLOYEES ANDTHEY'RE PLANNING ONRUNNING OUT OFPACKETS BEFORE THEDAY ENDS.OUTSIDE THEGATEWAY MALL INLINCOLN, A JOB FAIRWAS TAKING PLACEWELL SORT OF.OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'TDO THAT WITH COVIDSO WE WANTED TOCOME UP WITH ANIDEA THAT COULDGIVE PEOPLEINFORMATION ABOUTJOBS WITHOUTCONTACT.PROSPECTIVEEMPLOYEES WOULDDRIVE UP TO THE SITEAND PICK UP A BAG,INSIDE CONTAINEDFLYERS ANDINFORMATION FOR 52COMPANIESALLLOOKING TO HIRE FOROPEN POSITIONS.EVERYBODY WHO ISDISTRIBUTINGINFORMATION ISHIRING TODAY.WE ASKEDEMPLOYERS TO ONLYSUBMIT INFORMATIONIF THEY'RE HIRING.THIS IS A LOT BETTERBECAUSE I KNOWTHESE COMPANIESARE ACTUALLY HIRING.OMAHA-NATIVE ISAACREGIERWAS HOPING TO FINDA SUMMERINTERNSHIPHISCURRENT STUDENTJOB AT U-N-L IS ONHOLD DURING THEPANDEMIC.LOOKING ONLINESOME OF THELISTINGS DON'T HAVEPOSTING DATES SOTHEN YOU DON'TKNOW IF THEY'RE OLDLISTINGS BECAUSE ALOT OF COMPANIESARE ON HIRINGFREEZES RIGHT NOW.FOR JOB SEEKERSTHE LACK OFINTERPERSONALCONNECTIONS FROMTHIS TYPE OF FAIR ISTOUGHA LOT OFPEOPLE RELY ONFACE TO FACEMEETING TO GETTHEIR FOOT IN THEDOOR.THE LIMITEDINTERACTIONALSOMAKES ITTOUGHER FOR THOSEUNEMPLOYED WITHEXPANDED SKILLSETSTO EXPLAIN TO ANEMPLOYER WHY THEYMIGHT BEINTERESTED IN APOSITION IN ADIFFERENT FIELD.IF YOU'RE GOOD ATWHAT YOU DOTHEY'RE GOING TORECOGNIZE THATBECAUSE PEOPLENEED GOODEMPLOYEES SO GETIN THERE, GETSTARTED AND THENMOVE YOUR WAY UP.JOB FAIRS LIKE THESEAREN'T PERFECT, BUTIT'S ADAPTING WITHTHE TIMES.THE GOAL FROM THISFAIR IS TO GET JOBSEARCHERS IN TOUCHWITH EMPLOYERS.I FIND SINCE I'M GOODAT ELEVATOR PITCHESI PREFER THAT STYLEBUT RIGHT NOW IT ISNOT REALLY POSSIBLESO I LOVE HAVING ANOPPORTUNITY LIKETHIS WHERE I KNOWALL OF THESECOMPANIES AREHIRING AND FINDWHATWORKS.I LOVE TO SEE PEOPLEMEETING FACE TOFACE HOWEVER WENEED TO MEETPEOPLE WHERE THEYARE AND WE NEED TOMEET COVID WHEREIT IS.REPORTING INLINCOLN, PHILBERGMAN, 3 NEWSNOW.SECK SAYS THEREARE HUNDREDS OFJOBS OPEN.THE OPENINGS RANGEFROM ENTRY LEVELPOSITIONS TO THOSEWITH EXPERIENCENEEDED.YOU CAN FIND A LINKTO THE COMPANIESHIRING AT THE JOBFAIR ON OURWEBSITE, 3 NEWSNOW DOT-COM.