NEWARK, Del. – The second annual Holiday Job Fair, hosted by U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, and U.S. Representative John Carney, drew more than 600 job seekers to the Christiana Mall Thursday afternoon. The fair, which featured more than 30 employers, was designed specifically to connect potential new hires with retail and other mall outlets looking to meet increased staffing demands ahead of the busy holiday season.
Retail outlets including Target, jcpenney, Talbots, Lucky Brand, Gap, and White House|Black Market received hundreds of applications and in some cases conducted on-the-spot interviews with candidates. Deborah Warren, Field Human Resources Manager at GameStop was among those conducting interviews on-site for the retailer’s more than 17,000 open seasonal positions.
"Today was a great opportunity for Delawareans looking for seasonal work to meet with employers and see what's available," said Senator Carper. "Like I always say, Delaware has a first-class workforce that attracts businesses to the First State. I'm proud that along with Chris and John, we can make events like this happen for the folks at home no matter what is going on in Washington."
“The turnout at this afternoon’s job fair is proof-positive that there are unemployed or underemployed Delawareans who are out there ready and willing to work if given the opportunity,” said Senator Coons. “As the country continues on the road to economic recovery, I continue to hear personal stories from around the state about prospective hires making connections and landing well-paying jobs and that’s why we will continue to host these job fairs.”
“This job fair was a chance to help Delawareans looking for work over the holiday season,” said Congressman Carney. “Many retailers are searching for committed workers to help them out during the busiest time of the year. More needs to be done to get Delawareans into permanent jobs, which is why we’re hosting another job fair in Newark on November 4. I’m glad that we were able to connect so many Delaware job seekers with these opportunities.”
Since 2011, the congressional delegation has hosted 15 job fairs in Delaware, including four specifically for veterans. The delegation’s next job fair will be held Monday, November 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Embassy Suites in Newark. For more information on how to participate in the upcoming job fair as an employer or job seeker please call Senator Coons’ office at 302-573-6345, or email workshop@coons.senate.gov.