For the second year, Cochrane's job fair will be going virtual.

The event is hosted by Prospect's Rocky View and Wheatland Employment Sevices and it will have 25 employers in attendance.

Workforce Advisor with Prospect, Jennifer Dost says that after two tough pandemic years, the job market is looking promising and there is an increase in local employment opportunities. 

"This frankly, has been the most active job fair in the last two years," explains Dost. "We have a waiting list, so it's encouraging that employers are hiring."

Dost says they capped the number of employers in attendance at 25 to ensure that candidates have enough time to meet them in the time allotted. The job fair will be held via zoom on March 12 and according to Dost, there are several advantages to meeting with employers virtually, rather than going table to table in a large facility.

"If you think about a traditional job fair and you have a long line of people one-on-one employers don't have the time to get into it with each candidate," explains Dost. "So, these candidates will be in small groups of about five to eight people going into these rooms and they'll be in 15-minute increments."

In each room, job seekers will listen to a short presentation from the employer hosting that space. While there is an opportunity to ask questions and engage, Dost says it's not an interview format. She says that candidates won't be put on the spot, and they are welcome to leave the virtual room at any time.

While this isn't a formal interview, Dost still recommends putting your best foot forward. She says it's not necessary to dress in business attire, but job seekers should look tidy, and set themselves up in an appropriate space that's quiet and not distracting.

She says that with so many open job opportunities, employers are proving to be more flexible.

"It is a great opportunity right now for candidates who are looking for a job or looking to make a career change because there are so many jobs," explains Dost. "Employers are more open, than perhaps they were a year ago, to different opportunities with different individuals."

The virtual job fair is taking place on Saturday, March 12 2022 from 11 a.m until 1:30 p.m.  Job seekers can register up to one hour before the event, and they will be sent a zoom link to join.