Drive-Thru Job Fairs Revolutionize Hiring During Pandemic
OKLAHOMA CITY - June 03, 2020
Apply Without Leaving Your Car
As states loosen closure orders for businesses, companies are looking to replenish their workforce while facing the dilemma of how to safely interview candidates. As hiring experts, several Express Employment Professionals offices are stepping in to help with Drive-Thru Job Fairs.
Instead of requiring job seekers to physically come into offices to apply for positions, candidates line up in their vehicles to fill out paperwork. In the past few weeks, Express recruiters have processed hundreds of applications, filling a critical need for companies.
In Biloxi, Mississippi, the local Express offices first rolled out Drive-Thru Job Fairs in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
"With everything happening with social distancing, I thought it was an appropriate time to bring the idea back to meet the needs of the community while following the CDC guidelines," owner Jason Poole said. "We are ready to help position the community for a comeback."
The Biloxi Express office's recent Drive-Thru Job Fair drew hundreds of job seekers, and the staff will continue these events until they can safely open their lobby doors.
"We are using the Drive-Thru Job Fairs to perfect our process to make it safe, easy and most importantly effective for our community," Poole added.
The Morristown, Tennessee, Express office has remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to staff essential businesses, but found they had a hard time convincing job seekers that positions were still available. The Drive-Thru Job Fair concept provided the perfect solution.
The office was able to process more than 800 applicants in April and successfully placed 737 candidates with client companies.
"We want people to know that if they're struggling, we can provide them hope and give them a chance to get a job," Express Operations Manager Sarah Bowman told The Citizen Tribune. "We can do that, and we're open. We have a lot of jobs and we want to help people."
Recruiters at the Express office in Rochester, Minnesota, are taking every precaution to make job seekers feel safe when they pull up to apply at Express offices, including wearing gloves and masks and staying further back from vehicles.
"We don't know how long social distancing will go on. We want to make sure that we have all the safety precautions in place until we can be closer together in the future," Employment Specialist Sam Lessarde said in an interview for KIMT3 News.
Express offices around the country are open and eager to connect quality job seekers with reputable clients, no matter how creative they have to be to make it happen.
"The Express family always finds a way to provide hope through employment, even during this difficult and historic time," Express CEO Bill Stoller said. "The jobs are out there, and we are ready to put people to work."
To find out if your local Express office is hosting a Drive-Thru Job Fair and see available positions, visit
ExpressPros.com.
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If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bill Stoller to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena Karami, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966.
About Bill Stoller
William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the international staffing company has more than 825 franchises in the U.S., Canada and South Africa, and beginning in 2020 will expand to Australia and New Zealand. Since its inception, Express has put more than 8 million people to work worldwide.
About Express Employment Professionals
At Express Employment Professionals, we're in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK, our international network of franchises offer localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve, employing 552,000 people across North America in 2019. For more information, visit www.ExpressPros.com.