Greenbuild 2009 Job Fair: USGBC Offers Job Seekers a Lifeline

By Leslie Guevarra - Greener World Media

Job hunters seeking to break into the green building field or looking for new opportunities will have a chance network with destination companies at the upcoming Greenbuild 2009 conference in Phoenix, where the U.S. Green Building Council will conduct the first job fair at its annual gathering.

The program, which is free and open to all Greenbuild attendees, can accommodate as many as 1,000 job hunters, according to USGBC Communications Manager Ashley Katz.

A limited number of non-attendees also may participate, but must register online, and bring their printed confirmations to the event, which runs from 1 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 10. Signups will close that morning or when registration hits 1,000, whichever comes first.

The event is expected to be a welcome feature at the conference as the jobless rate in the U.S. continues to climb. The national unemployment rate rose to 10.2 in October, the highest since April 1983. U.S. Department of Labor said in its jobs report issued today.

While work resulting from Recovery Act grants is expected to provide some relief within the buildings industry, those opportunities have been slow in materializing as projects and bids cycle through the review process.

Career coaches say job seekers should take advantage of this time to make contact with target firms and foster good business relations so they have a stronger network in place when openings emerge.

It’s also the time for employers to update their pools of prospects so they don’t have to scramble for talent when positions are approved for hiring.

And that’s where the Greenbuild Job Fair can help, event organizers say.

“Greenbuild provides attendees with opportunities to network and expand their education, making it the perfect place to host a job fair,” Katz said in comments provided to GreenerBuildings.com. “The Green Building Job Fair will give those looking for a new career path or just looking for new opportunities a chance to network with like-minded peers and companies, while brushing up their resume.”

More than 30 companies were registered to attend the job fair as of this morning.

Image CC licensed by Flickr user tauress