The City of Tempe and its partners will offer a first-of-its-kind job fair on Wednesdays, July 21 and 28, with every employer in the city able to participate from their own business. The Tempe Job Monsoon brings together job seekers and businesses to ‘make it rain’ for everyone. Job seekers can get a dependable paycheck and businesses can make more money when they are fully staffed.

On July 21 and 28, businesses across Tempe will put out green balloons and Job Monsoon signs showing they are hiring. Job seekers can walk into any of those businesses, fill out a resume, likely get an interview – and maybe a job – on the spot. When the positions are filled, the sign and balloons come down. This unique job fair allows short-staffed businesses to spend time with customers and lets candidates see their potential work environment.

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“Our community cares about our residents and our businesses,” said Tempe Mayor Corey Woods. “The Tempe Job Monsoon will help everyone thrive by connecting applicants with employment opportunities across the city.”

Each business that registers will have access to downloadable materials, including a Job Monsoon sign and a hiring guide filled with expert tips. For full details and to register your business, please visit our website before July 12 at tempe.gov/JobMonsoon.

Job seekers can get information on resume writing and interview tips, training and certification programs, and other services they might need, like State of Arizona childcare compensation, at tempe.gov/JobMonsoon.  A list of participating businesses will also be at that same website starting July 12.

Money for jobseekers – money for businesses

As more people are becoming vaccinated and COVID-19 rates are dropping, consumer confidence is returning. More people are visiting restaurants, hotels and retailers. To handle the new volume, those businesses need staff. Hotels and restaurants have turned away reservations because they did not have enough staff to serve customers.

“This is the kind of program that can really make an impact on a small business. The shortage of qualified candidates is affecting every aspect of our business at the moment and the thought of being able to quickly make contact with candidates is really appealing. Having potential new hires just walk in the front door is a game changer for us – no more expensive ads!”  said Susan Lawver, General Manager, Snakes & Lattes.

“Our economy is on the verge of fully recovering from the pandemic and we want to ensure that Tempe’s businesses are able to build back stronger and better. But for the hospitality industry, this cannot be fully realized until we get our work force back into the shops, restaurants, hotels and related businesses,” said Tempe Tourism Office President and CEO Brian McCartin.

It’s expected that more than 100 businesses will participate. The registration is free and will put companies on a registry that job seekers can peruse to see who has openings and the kinds of benefits they offer. Businesses can register at tempe.gov/JobMonsoon.

“There are dozens of jobs in Downtown Tempe alone,” said Kate Borders, Executive Director, Downtown Tempe Authority. “It’s essential for our merchants to get positions filled to be prepared for fall.  The Tempe Job Monsoon will share their openings and provide a surefire way for jobseekers to show up and get hired – on the spot.  It will also be quite festive downtown with all the green balloons flying.”

“We are hoping that businesses will go beyond just the sign and a balloon or two, and make their business easily seen and more attractive to future staff. It’s a job seeker’s market right now, and showcasing benefits and a welcoming company culture is important,” said Tempe Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Anne Gill. “We know this has been a long 15 months for our businesses and we want to help them as much as we can.”

Timing is everything

The timing of these unique job fairs is important:

• The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation ends on July 10, returning Arizona unemployment payments to a fraction of what they are currently.

• Arizona State University students return in early August, bringing 60,000 students and staff to shop and eat in Tempe.

• Those who have been on Arizona unemployment could qualify for the up to $2,000 Return-to-Work bonuses offered by the State of Arizona to those who start a job by Labor Day and stay for 10 weeks.

• The State of Arizona is now offering three months of child care assistance for job seekers with children who return to work after collecting unemployment benefits.

Visit tempe.gov/JobMonsoon for details.