ACCESS Career Fair Brings Out Hundreds of Jobseekers in Metro Detroit

Hundreds of Metro Detroit residents had an opportunity to find new employment and explore career paths at a job fair in Dearborn on Wednesday.

The event was hosted by the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) and featured more than 60 companies across the region.

Najwa Hadous, director of employment and training at the Michigan Works! Dearborn One Stop Service Center, said ACCESS holds a career fair twice a year to help employers and to give back to the community.

"The best way to help someone land a job is to connect him or her face-to-face with a potential employer so that he or she can present their skills in a more personal approach versus just applying on the Internet," Hadous said.

The job fair is one of the largest attended in Metro Detroit, drawing workers from as far away as Battle Creek.

"One of the main things that we ask of companies is to only participate if they have openings. We don't want to raise a person's hopes if there is no job," Hadous said.

ACCESS staff work with large retail outlets, hospitals, government organizations, and information technology companies, among others, in an effort to match a prospective employee with the right job. The process includes a questionnaire, application with detailed work history and a resume.

During Wednesday's event, Laurence Gardenhire of Detroit was one of several candidates interviewed by Sysco Corporation, Beaumont Hospital and American Tax Service.

"Job fairs are great for the community because they give you a lot of options and connect you with jobs that you might not even realize you qualify for," Gardenhire said.

Making direct connections with employers is an important goal at ACCESS, said Masoud Al-Awamleh, supported employment specialist. Some applicants are even able to come in with their resumes and leave with a job the same day, he said.

"We're in the business of helping people become financially independent," Al-Awamleh said. "A lot of people thank us for making their day and making a difference — that's why we're successful."

Hadous said she did not know how many job offers were made at Wednesday's fair, however more than 300 people attended the event.

For information on upcoming job fairs, visit www.accesscommunity.org.