Remote job fair tomorrow

LACONIA — The Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce’s virtual job fair on Wednesday will allow job seekers and 40 area employers to connect remotely, ask questions, meet privately online, and submit resumes tomorrow 1 to 3 pm.

The event will feature businesses in manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality and tourism and other sectors, including Ragged Mountain Resort, Lakeport Landing Marina, Lake Opechee Inn and Spa, Eptam Plastics, Belknap-Merrimack Head Start, Huggins Hospital, H&R Block, Lakes Region Community College, Lakes Region Community Services, and many area restaurants and resorts, and health and home care providers, as well as fuel, energy and other service companies.  Registration and a list of participants is online at lakesregionchamber.org.

Last month the online job fair drew roughly 300 job seekers, said Karmen Gifford, president of the Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce.  The recurrent event, held remotely during COVID, has netted more participants than recent in-person events, Gifford said.  It permits job hunters to visit with individual employers, attend chat groups by industry and upload resumes that can be distributed to various employers.

“We thought it was a tremendous response” in November, Gifford said.  “You’re seeing 10 to 25 on a webinar. Employers are given their own virtual booths, and the ability to link job seekers with other staff and business managers over Zoom.

“There are more jobs than job seekers,” Gifford said.  “It’s been over four to five years since we’ve seen job fair attendance” this high, and there are openings are across all industries, including ski areas, student transportation, and construction. “Contractors are still looking for crews for construction trades, and haven’t slowed down at all,” Gifford said.