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Reverse Job Fair

Becky McPherson, Transition Coordinator Grain Valley School District

Nichole Holmes, Transition Specialist

Blue Springs School District

What is a Reverse Job Fair?

A career fair that flips the tables:• Job Seekers create displays that showcase their talents• Employers have the opportunity to circulate among the

booths and introduce themselves to the job seekers• Helps candidates highlight and showcase their skills

and abilities in a comfortable environment• Helps businesses to recognize the talents of the job

candidates• .

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNX7F_iSe0p6eaX5‐

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How to get started• Decide who your core team members will be and set up a meeting

• Our core team

• Transition Coordinator from Grain Valley

• Transition Specialist from Blue Springs High School

• Transition Specialist from Blue Springs South High School

• Employment Specialists from area agencies

• JobOne

• Ability KC

• Easter Seals Midwest

• Chamber of Commerce

• Kansas City Regional Office

• Pre‐Employment Transition Specialist

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Getting Started

• Set meeting times• Get times/dates/locations on everyone's calendars

• Develop an action plan• Steps• Who is going to take responsibility• When does it need to be completed

•Decide how information will be shared• Google Docs, email, etc.

Location and Date

• Set a date for the event that works for the core team

• Find a location

• Large enough for all of the student participants and their display boards

• Space for panel discussion/breakfast for the business participants

• Space for students to eat lunch

• Centralized location for the districts and businesses participating in the event

How will students prepare for the Reverse Job Fair?

• Resume development

• Tri‐Fold presentation

• Interview skills/ professional dress instruction and practice

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Resumes

• Developed resumes with classroom teachers or with Pre‐ETS

• Employment Specialists from the area reviewed and provided feedback on resumes (scheduled dates)

• Students made changes/updates to resume as needed

• Students took multiple copies with them to the Reverse Job Fair

Tri‐fold Presentation Boards

• Students were given an outline of information to include on the presentation board and shown examples

• Students were able to bring in pictures from home to add to the board (board provided by the district)

• Boards were completed by the end of February during class

Interviewing Skills/ Dress for Success

• Group presentations on interview tips and dressing for success, as well as one-on-one mock interviews were provided by local employment agencies and Pre-ETS

• Dates/times were scheduled for each high school

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Informing parents of the upcoming opportunity

• Parent letter• Parent survey

• Email reminders

• Phone calls

Recruitment of business participants

• Information shared through the Chamber of Commerce

• Social media posts

•Facebook•Twitter•LinkedIn

• Personal contacts

• Employment agencies

Event day* 180 students * 40+ businesses * outside agencies * volunteers *

• Registration table for employers/businesses

• Breakfast set up for employers near meeting area

• Tables set up for the students with nametags and surveys

• Donuts/water for the students when they arrived

• Tables set up for lunches provided for the students

• Surveys for businesses and students to complete

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Breakfast for Employers

Discussion Panel for Employers

• One core team member led the panel discussion with pre‐determined questions that were shared with the business participants prior to the event

• 3 local businesses who have hired individuals with disabilities agreed to participate and share their experiences

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Funding• Grants

•Blue Springs Education Foundation•Grain Valley Education Foundation

• Donations•Lamar's Donuts•Woods Chapel United Methodist Church•Panera •Nourish KC – sack lunches for students

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Challenges and Changes

• Dividing tasks/participation from all team members

• Location size/convenience

• Recruiting businesses to participate

• Student and teacher buy‐in

https://youtu.be/LJGiYajGs3o