Congressman Joseph Crowley, representing New York's 7th district, will serve as the honorary co-sponsor for the first stop of the 2010 tour, in cooperation with the Bronx Chamber of Commerce. PetSmart, The Home Depot, Allstate, Pitney Bowes and ADT will be among the many leading employers looking to meet candidates at the Bronx event.
The tour's second year launches at a time when there are signs of encouragement in the labor market. The Monster Employment Index [2] rose by ten points in February, as employers resumed hiring activity after January's seasonal lull. More than ever, small business owners and large companies alike are searching for ways to increase the speed and efficacy of the hiring process. These events, along with the resources and precision matching technology for seekers [3] and employers [4] on Monster.com, can accelerate matches, getting people back to work faster while reducing hiring costs.
"We are seeing encouraging news that companies are ready to start hiring. We believe we can help accelerate the recovery by going into these communities and providing a forum to help match job seekers with area employers who have real jobs to offer," said Sal Iannuzzi [5], chairman, chief executive officer and president of Monster Worldwide.
"I am so pleased to help kick-off the Keep America Working Tour in the Bronx," said Congressman Crowley, honorary co-host. "The Bronx is a thriving community with hard-working, talented people. Today's job fair will help to attract great businesses to our community and help Bronx residents find good paying jobs."
Using an innovative model that transcends the traditional career fair, the Keep America Working Tour [6] brings together the tools, expertise and employer contacts job seekers need to find their next opportunity and further their careers. Job seekers can also receive practical advice from career experts and see Monster's new career tools [7] in action, appealing to both passive career-minded professionals and active job seekers. These events help job seekers make connections with other seekers and employers offline, providing an opportunity for face-to-face networking that remains the most powerful way to connect, expanding on established online professional networks such as Monster Communities [8].
Another unique aspect of the Keep American Working Tour is Monster's continued relationship with two non-profit organizations, Dress for Success and Career Gear. Clients of Dress for Success or Career Gear can choose to attend a pre-career networking event workshop focusing on strategies to maximize their interactions with employers at the event while demystifying the career fair experience. They can quickly put these lessons to use; training attendees will be admitted the floor just prior to opening the fair to the public.
This year HandsOn Network, the volunteer-focused arm of Points of Light Institute and the largest non-profit volunteer network in the nation, will be joining the tour to show job seekers how meaningful volunteer work can provide them with new career skills and important job-networking contacts. HandsOn Network's more than 250 Action Centers reach more than 83 percent of the population and include more than 70,000 corporate, faith, and nonprofit organizations.
For more information about Monster's Keep America Working Tour, visit: http://keepamericaworkingtour.com [9]. You can also see success stories, videos and photos from the event at Keep America Working Facebook [10] page or follow the tour on Twitter @MonsterKAW [11].
About Monster Worldwide
Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: MWW), parent company of Monster, the premier global online employment solution for more than a decade, strives to inspire people to improve their lives. With a local presence in key markets in North America, Europe, and Asia, Monster works for everyone by connecting employers with quality job seekers at all levels and by providing personalized career advice to consumers globally. Through online media sites and services, Monster delivers vast, highly targeted audiences to advertisers. Monster Worldwide is a member of the S&P 500 index. To learn more about Monster's industry-leading products and services, visit www.monster.com [12]. More information about Monster Worldwide is available at http://www.about-monster.com [13].
SOURCE: Monster Worldwide, Inc.
Press:
Monster Worldwide, Inc.
Matthew Henson, 978-823-2627
Matthew.henson@monster.com [14]