Noah Partenio, right, talks to representatives of Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance at Tuesday’s Times Leader Career Expo at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza. From left: Cecilia Hebda, Erica Gadomski and Trina Davala.
                                 Bill O’Boyle | Times Leader

Times Leader Career Expo a success

WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Noah Partenio said he was at Tuesday’s Times Leader Career Expo to see what jobs are “out there” that might appeal to him.

Partenio, 21, of Throop, said he is employed, but he visited several tables to see what employers were offering.

“I’m looking for a better-paying job with benefits,” Partenio said. “I picked up information on about six places that I will probably apply.”

Partenio was talking to representatives of Berkshire-Hathaway GUARD Insurance. Cecilia Hebda, Erica Gadomski and Trina Davala of GUARD said they had a lot of interest from attendees for jobs that offer competitive salaries and benefits.

Partenio said the Times Leader Career Expo was the first job fair he has attended.

“It’s pretty cool,” Partenio said. “There are a lot of job opportunities out there — and they are easier to find here than online.”

Kerry Miscavage, Times Leader Media Group Publisher, said the career expo was held in collaboration with Mohegan Arena, Penn State Wilkes-Barre and Mo Devlin Photography.

“The Times Leader Career Expo was a testament to the power of face-to-face connections,” Miscavage said. “As the only local expo offering such an opportunity, we provided area recruiters and job seekers with a unique event. From exploring career opportunities to enhancing resumes with professional headshots and tips, our expo offered steps toward professional success. Our recruiters left feeling confident that they had spoken with qualified candidates.”

Miscavage said the Times Leader has always taken the lead for hosting cost-efficient job fairs for Northeastern Pennsylvania.

“Our hope is that you find new hires to positively contribute to your organization’s workforce and culture, while gauging what current job seekers are asking and pursuing,” Miscavage said.

Diane Grohowski and Candace Apostolou of Federal Hearing and Appeals Services said their table was busy for the entire day.

They said they were looking to hire data analysts, administrative assistants, data entry positions, a controller and an operations director. They said FHAS offers competitive salaries and benefits and they said they had a lot of potential applicants stop by.

Maureen Ciliberto and Gina Miale of Penn State Wilkes-Barre said they were offering “after the career fair” services. They said they were recruiting students and also offering job applicants tips on how to get the most out of job fairs, along with help preparing a resume and guidance on how to talk to prospective employers.