GRAND CROSSING — Bianca Montgomery works in the food industry, but on Tuesday she met with Google at a career fair in search of a new beginning.
“I’m happy with the job that I have,” Montgomery, 25, said, “but I was ready for a change so I came to this job fair to see if I could get a better job and start a better career.”
The Rev. Corey Brooks’ New Beginnings Church at 6620 S. King Drive partnered with the Illinois Department of Employment Security and Chicago Area Project for the hiring event.
On Tuesday more than 100 employers were set up for the first “Back on Track” hiring event. Brooks said that more than 1,500 people pre-registered and at least 300 signed up at the event.
“The state of Illinois is suffering from high unemployment, but specifically in black and brown areas there is very high unemployment rate so it’s important that we have companies come to areas where there is a desperate need,” Brooks said.
Montgomery works in the kitchen at Pret a Manger, a popular European food chain Downtown. The Auburn-Gresham resident said the Google table caught her attention because the company is so popular and she uses its search engine daily. Montgomery is interested in the Google View position.
Google 360 Photo manager Dorian V. Earl, said he saw several strong perspective candidates. Most people are familiar with Google maps he said, but not so much with a new program that provides people with an inside look at businesses. Many of the positions he was looking to fill deal with taking photos for the inside of businesses.
“We do a lot of training so we find good, raw talent,” Earl said. “We spend a lot of time, energy and money training them so I think from today there are definitely some people who have the background who could work for us."
The Illinois Department of Employment Security also had a table. Chris Robinson, a local veterans employment representative for the state agency, was there as an advocate for veterans.
“I help veterans find employment. My primary job is to talk to employers, find out what they need in their offices and companies, what jobs they have available and also find out how we can better position veterans get those jobs,” Robinson said, adding the department holds workshops for veterans and invite employers to attend.
Veteran Alice Guillory, 33, of south suburban Dolton, is a manager at a retail store, but said she wants a different career. Her ultimate goal is to one day work for herself, but right now she needs to stay employed. Guillory said the veterans table was helpful, as well as the entire event.
“My time was not wasted,” she said.
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