NATIONAL CITY, Calif. (KGTV) -- Around this time each year, nearly 700 job seekers converge upon the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in National City for a chance to make a first impression on upwards 80 San Diego employers.
The Coronavirus has altered that annual tradition.
On Wednesday, the National City Chamber of Commerce will host its 10th annual Pathways to Career Success Job Fair entirely online.
"We said, 'We have to figure out, let's go virtual,' and we figured it out," said Jacqueline Reynoso, the chamber's president.
Reynoso said there was no way the organization would cancel the fair in a time when tens of thousands of San Diegans are out of a job amid Coronavirus restrictions. However, the number of employers hiring has dropped to 12, with 200 job seekers still registered.
Reynoso said the job fair will take the format of a large Zoom meeting, with each employer presenting to the entire group before splitting off into breakout sessions.
Julie Visser, vice president of executive search and coaching at the Toft Group, said attendees should look their best, pick a location to Zoom with a clean background, and do their homework about the employers ahead of time.
"Know why you want to work there, what value you can bring them, and have really good questions prepared beforehand," she said.
The fair begins at 10 a.m. and lasts through 1 p.m. Attendees can register via Zoom.
Emily Romero, a student who recently lost her job and moved back in with her mother, said she is hopeful that the fair leads to her next chapter.
"I'm just looking for something to help make me feel like I'm going back to normal," she said.
The fair is free for attendees.
