WERQ! LGBTQ Job Fair Set for September in Chicago

More than 30 major corporations, small businesses, government agencies and nonprofits will participate in the Windy City Times WERQ! LGBTQ job fair Friday, Sept. 16, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, Chicago.

The event, which is free and open to the public, is hosted by Windy City Times with Center on Halsted, Pride Action Tank, Chicago House, Association of Latino/as Motivating Action, Affinity Community Services, TransTech Social Enterprises, AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Out & Equal Chicagoland, Lambda Legal, LGBT Chamber of Commerce of Illinois and the Northalsted Business Alliance.

Confirmed exhibitors, in addition to the sponsors, include:
- AARP
- AON Hewitt
- AT&T
- Aunt Martha's Health & Wellness
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma & Texas
- Chicago Commission on Human Relations
- Chicago Marriott
- Chicago Women in Trades
- Christy Webber Landscapes
- Elevate Energy
- Experis/Manpower Group
- Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
- Gap Inc. and Old Navy
- Google
- Hilton Worldwide
- Howard Brown Health
- KPMG
- Lyric Opera
- Mariano's
- MB Financial Bank
- Metropolitan Family Services
- Northern Trust
- Northwestern Department of Medical Social Sciences
- Pace Suburban Bus Company
- Paul Mitchell The School
- Redbox
- The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago
- Thresholds
- Senior Helpers
- State of Illinois Department of Rehabilitation
- Uber
- Uptake
- Vienna Beef
- Walgreens
- WBEZ
- Zurich North America

This is the second WERQ! LGBTQ Job Fair. The first focused primarily on youth experiencing homelessness. This fair is open to all, and will have special workshops focused on youth, transgender employment, and seniors.

The workshops include:

Noon-1 p.m.:
Getting Started (or Starting Again): Job Searching for "First" Timers
- Kara Rosser, One Summer Chicago
- One Summer Chicago youth participant
- Sean Bush, Silver Fork Coordinator
- Silver Fork Alumni

1-2 p.m.:
Stronger and Wiser: Job Searching For LGBTQ Older Adults
- Dan O'Donnell, AARP
- Jonathan Tague, Senior Helpers
- Britta Larson, Center on Halsted
- Nora O'Malley, Lyric Opera

2-3 p.m.:
Transgender and the Workplace
Moderator: Alexis Paige, Lambda Legal
- Owen Daniel-McCarter, Illinois Safe Schools Alliance
- Sandra Wagner, Northern Trust
- Alexis Martinez, activist
- Channyn Lynn Parker, TransLife Center, Chicago House

3-4 p.m.:
From Resumes to Interviews: Making a Good First Impression
Moderator: Michael Erwin, Director, Global Corporate Communications and Social Media CareerBuilder
- Julie West, CG Consulting
- Justin Thompson, Consumer Marketing, CareerBuilder
- Anthony Balderrama, CareerBuilder
- Sarah Frank, Experis/ManpowerGroup
- Mike Madura, Associate Director National Recruiting, KPMG

The Illinois Secretary of State Mobile Services Unit will be on-site to assist attendees with acquiring or renewing state identifications, driver's licenses, and other state registrations from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Youth Space.

Booths at the job fair are $95 for businesses, $50 for nonprofits. Deadline is Sept. 6. Email Tracy Baim for details: editor@windycitymediagroup.com, or call 773-871-7610.

See www.facebook.com/LGBTQJobFair/?fref=ts for more.

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