Goodwill® Career Fairs to Celebrate the Power of Work

ROCKVILLE, Md., April 30, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Building on its 111-year history of helping people reach their full potential through the power of work, Goodwill Industries® is holding a series of career fairs during its annual Goodwill Industries Week, May 5 ­– 11.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090716/DC47803LOGO)

Dozens of community-based Goodwill agencies throughout the United States and Canada are hosting in-person career fairs and hiring events, which last year drew more than 11,400 job seekers and 647 participating employers. This year, 28 Goodwill headquarter locations will host in-person hiring fairs, and the number of attending job seekers is expected to increase.

In addition, Goodwill Industries International will host its second annual virtual career fair from May 6 – 8. Some 7,500 job seekers from across the United States and Canada participated in the 2012 inaugural event. The virtual career fair will be hosted through Monster.com, enabling job seekers to meet with employers and apply for jobs from anywhere.

This year, Goodwill will also use Google Hangouts to support the virtual career fair, which will be specifically targeted toward three populations struggling to find employment: women, youth, and veterans and military families.

To kick-off the virtual career fair, Goodwill will be hosting an exclusive event for media and bloggers on Wednesday, May 1 from 1:00 – 1:45 p.m. EDT on the Google+ Hangout platform.

Speakers will include:

Tim Norman, Director of Overhead and Technology Recruiting at Dreamworks Animation and veteran

Shawn Imitates Dog, Human Resources, Creative Artists Agency, Producer

Brad Turner-Little, Director of Mission Strategy, Goodwill Industries International

"By utilizing the vast reach of Google, Goodwill will be able to connect with job seekers in different parts of the country at the same time, allowing them to talk about issues of importance to them," said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International.

The audio and video sessions on Google Hangouts for the virtual career fair will take place as follows:

• Google Hangout for Veteran and Military Family Job Seekers: Monday, May 6, 1:00 – 1:45 p.m. EDT
• Google Hangout for Youth Job Seekers: Tuesday, May 7, 1:00 – 1:45 p.m. EDT
• Google Hangout for Women Job Seekers: Wednesday, May 8, 1:00 – 1:45 p.m. EDT

"This is a great opportunity for employers as well as for workers," said Gibbons. "Certainly, for job seekers, it opens up a greater avenue to find work. For employers, it offers the chance to refine recruiting strategies, expand candidate pools, and reach candidates who might not be able to attend an in-person fair."

To learn more and register for Goodwill's career fair and Google Hangout events, visit: http://goodprospects.goodwill.org/career-fairs/   

About Goodwill Industries International
Goodwill Industries International is a network of 165 community-based agencies in the United States and Canada with 14 affiliates in 13 other countries. Goodwill is one of America's top 25 most inspiring companies (Forbes). Goodwill agencies are innovative and sustainable social enterprises that fund job training programs, employment placement services and other community-based programs by selling donated clothing and household items in more than 2,700 stores and online at shopgoodwill.com®. Local Goodwill agencies also build revenue and create jobs by contracting with businesses and government to provide a wide range of commercial services, including packaging and assembly, food service preparation, and document imaging and shredding. In 2012, more than 5 million people in the United States and Canada benefited from Goodwill's career services. Goodwill channels 82 percent of its revenues directly into its programs and services.

To find a Goodwill near you, use the online locator at locator.goodwill.org, or call (800) GOODWILL. Follow us on Twitter: @GoodwillIntl or @GoodwillCapHill, or find us on Facebook: GoodwillIntl.

SOURCE Goodwill Industries International