By Elizabeth Voltz
Have a friend or relative coming back to West Michigan for turkey on Thanksgiving? Want to entice them to stay? Or are you looking to move to or back to West Michigan?
Well, 43 companies and non-profits want you to help with special interviews at several West Michigan bars on Wednesday, Nov. 21. The Right Place, Inc. and Hello West Michigan are once again hosting the annual event, titled ReThink West Michigan, which runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., in hopes of filling up job holes with young professionals.
“When someone wants to relocate here, they usually just have to apply online or try really hard to network virtually,” said Cindy Brown, executive director of Hello West Michigan and vice president of talent initiatives at The Right Place, Inc. “ReThink West Michigan gives interested candidates a chance to connect face-to-face. We’re highlighting the things people want to know about when they think about relocating: career opportunities and lifestyle in West Michigan.”
The Michigan Department of Talent and Economic Development collaborated with West Michigan Development Collaborative to host events in Grand Rapids, Hastings, Ludington, Muskegon, Naugatuck and Fremont.
The event in Grand Rapids will be in Eve at The B.O.B., 20 Monroe Ave. NW. The other locations are:
Saugatuck Brewing Company, 2948 Blue Star Hwy., Douglas
Walldorff Brewpub & Bistro, 105 E. State St., Hastings
The Block (above Unruly Brewing), 360 W. Western Ave., Muskegon
Ludington Bay Brewing Co., 515 James St., Ludington
Lakes 23 Restaurant and Pub, 1100 Ramshorn Dr., Fremont
ReThink West Michigan aims to provide a casual environment to network and talk to many professionals in the area. The past six events had a turn out of more than 800 candidates, 65 of which were hired.
Amway, Haworth, Meijer, Spectrum Health, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Express Employment Professionals, Mercy Health, Northwestern Mutual, Ranir, Suburban Inns, Steelcase, West Michigan Works! and X Rite Inc. will be participating at the event in Grand Rapids.
“Companies in West Michigan are continuing to grow at a fast pace, but many face constraints when it comes to finding talent,” said Rachel Bartels, program manager at Hello West Michigan. “The labor market in the region remains tight, and there are hundreds of positions available. We know that in order to meet demand we will need to attract talent to the area, and who better to fill those jobs than former West Michiganders.”
Register for free at www.rethink.com.
