Job fairs and special events
About job fairs and special events
Employment and Social Services regularly hosts and participates in job fairs, career fairs, service awareness information fairs and special events. To view, learn about, and register for job fairs and Employment Centre workshops offered by TESS locations across the city, visit our Employment Centre Portal.
| Job fairs |
| Job fairs provide opportunities for job seekers to network and discuss job openings and career options with employers. Employers share information about their organizations and job opportunities, and meet with job candidates. |
| Career fairs |
| Career fairs provide opportunities for residents to learn about career options. Individuals from various industries or schools share information with attendees about career and/or educational paths. |
| Service awareness information fairs |
| These fairs help residents learn about the variety of services and supports that are available in their community and across the city. |
| Special events and initiatives |
| Individual offices may host special events or be involved in initiatives to support their communities or meet a specific local hiring need. |
Staff at each office also hold ongoing workshops and information sessions on various topics at their Employment Centres.
Tips for attending a job fair
Job fairs provide networking opportunities and give job seekers access to employers who are looking for people to hire. When attending a job fair, it is best to come prepared.
Getting ready for the job fair:
- Know the employers that will be at the fair and research the ones that interest you.
- For one-on-one resumé help and interview tips, you can visit our Employment Centres before the day of the fair.
- Bring a number of updated resumés for each of your career choices. You may also find it helpful to bring electronic copies of your resumé saved on a USB stick.
- Practice a 30 second "sales pitch" of your background for when you meet with employers. Your pitch should answer these questions:
- Who am I? (Education, experience, skills, hobbies)
- Why do I want to work for you? (Goals and why you are interested in the company)
- Why should you hire me? (Highlight skills and experience)
- Dress professionally for the job you want. Be neat and tidy.
- Prepare for on-the-spot interviews and be ready to fill out job applications at the fair.
- Before the job fair, a list of employers may be available. Decide which employers are most important for you, so you can visit them first on the day of the fair.
Attending the job fair:
- Arrive at the job fair early.
- Meet employers on your own rather than with your friends.
- Make a good first impression. Be calm, confident, smile and shake hands with the employers.
- Share only positive comments about past employers or jobs.
- Make notes about conversations that you have with employers. Collect their business cards so that you can follow up with them after the fair.
- Network with other job seekers to learn from their experiences.
After the job fair:
- Follow up with a phone call or email to the employers you met.
- If you had been asked for more information, send it quickly.
- Your email address and voicemail greeting make an impression. Be sure it is the right impression for an employer.
- Visit employers' websites from time to time to check for ongoing opportunities.
For a printable version of these tips, please click here. 
Job fair and event successes
"I learned about the job fair from my Social Services caseworker and from flyers posted in the community. At the fair, I was
invited by Costco to fill out an application form, to which I
attached my resume. They called me a few days later to set
up a job interview. I was offered a job in a company that not
only has good benefits but also opportunities to move up."
- Rosa, job fair attendee
Employer comments…
“Generally when we attend a career fair, if we leave with one potential candidate, it is considered a successful event.
We left with 16 potential candidates and hired four. Your results speak for themselves!”
“I want to thank you for inviting us to the job fair. It was well-organised [and] we received a total of 121 resumes … [The] majority [of those candidates] are hireable. The staff were very helpful as well.”
Attendee comments…
“Thank you for this job fair … It was well worth attending and well organized.”
“Good form of networking.”
“This is very beneficial for newcomers to Canada …”
Employers and organizations: how to get involved
Employers or agency staff who are interested in getting involved with a Employment and Social Services job fair or special event are invited to contact the Community and Labour Market Manager at an Employment and Social Services office.
Employers can also read about other ways that Employment and Social Services can help with hiring.
Upcoming job fairs and special events
Information Technology Training for Women
Thursday, June 20
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Golden Mile Employment & Social Services
1880 Eglinton Ave. East
Community Room
MicroSkills Women's Technology Institute trains women for jobs that need information technology skills. A guest speaker from MicroSkills will be at an information session on June 20 at our Golden Mile location. Find out about an advanced government-funded program that may lead to Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) certification. This program is for low-income women with a background in application development and .Net platform.
Please register using our Employment Centre Portal, or call Linda Kwong at 416-397-5060.
Horticulture Information Session
Thursday, June 20
2 - 4 p.m.
Golden Mile Employment & Social Services
1880 Eglinton Ave. East
Do you have an interest in flowers and gardening? Make your passion a career.
Learn more at our information session on the Women's Horticultural Technician Pre-Apprenticeship Program with guest speakers from Humber College and MicroSkills.
This training program is offered by MicroSkills in partnership wtih Humber College and Landscape Ontario.
Please register using our Employment Centre Portal, or call Linda Kwong at 416-397-5060.
Youth Employment Information & Services Fair
Tuesday, June 18
2 - 4:30 p.m.
Crossways Employment Services
2340 Dundas St. West, 3rd Floor
Find out about employment, training, and career planning services and how to prepare for upcoming opportunities with:
- City of Toronto, Parks, Forestry & Recreation
- Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
- Retail Council of Canada
- Yorkdale Shopping Centre
Bring your resumé for resumé critique and job search coaching.
Please register using our Employment Centre Portal. For more information or to register by phone, please contact Cynthia at 416-338-3987.
Emery Adult Learning Centre Annual Career Fair
Looking for career information? Join us on June 13 to explore various careers, network with community agencies and learn about employment information and supports, community agency programs, services for newcomers, and more.
Thursday, June 13
9:30 a.m. - 1 pm
Emery Adult Learning Centre
3395 Weston Road, North York
Cafeteria B
Please call Matra at 416-397-9506 or Rob at 416-397-9454 for more information.
For information about community job fairs and events, go to an Employment Centre or visit our Employment Centre Portal.
