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UNION COUNTY — A series of workshops being offered by SCWorks will help local residents who take it learn “How To Turn A Job Fair Into A Job.”

Roy Lowe, center manager for the SCWorks Union office, said Friday that his office is offering the workshops, which will be be held through April 25, to help prepare local residents looking for work for the organization’s annual jobs fair in May.

“We are going to have our annual SCWorks Upstate Job Fair on May 2 at Summit Point in Spartanburg,” Lowe said. “Veterans will be able to get in starting at 8 a.m., Preferred Pass holders will be able to get in starting at 9 a.m., and then the general public will be admitted from 10 a.m to 1 p.m.”

Lowe said that for those who want them, a Preferred Pass may be obtained at the SCWorks Union office at 103 N. Main St. He said that persons interested in obtaining a Preferred Pass may do so through the “How To Turn A Job Fair Into A Job” workshops being offered by SCWorks.

While a person does not have to participate in the workshops to obtain a Preferred Pass, Lowe said the public is encouraged to do so because the workshops can help them prepare for the job fair and increase their chances of getting a job through it.

“At last year’s job fair in October we had about 40 employers,” Lowe said. “Only companies that have positions available participate in the job fair.

“We had a large turnout for last year’s job fair and there were a lot of good results,” he said. “There were 34 people hired on the spot and over 200 interviews were scheduled and tons of applications submitted. So the better prepared you are the better an impression you make the better your chances of turning that job fair into a job.”

Lowe said persons who want to take the workshop and obtain both a Preferred Pass and the benefit of the job preparation services offered by SCWorks must register for it as soon as possible. This will involve:

• Being registered in the SCWorks online system (jobs.scworks.org)

• Have a professional and up to date resume. Lowe said if a person doesn’t have a professional and up-to-date resume there will be a workshop that can provide them with the basics of resume preparation. He said there will also be a workshop that deals exclusively with preparing a resume. While the participant must prepare their own resume, Lowe said SCWorks staff will assist them in the process.

• Complete a generic application

• Have their interview skills reviewed by SCWorks personnel

• Receive tips on how to dress to impress.

While the workshops will only be held through April 25, Lowe said SCWorks will also provide assistance to job seekers at the job fair including an Internet cafe which will allow them to submit an application online if requested to do so by a potential employer. SCWorks personnel will also be present to critique resumes brought to the job fair.

For more information on the SCWorks Upstate Job Fair go online at scworksupstate.com. For more information on obtaining a Preferred Pass and/or participating in the How To Turn A Job Fair Into A Job workshops call 427-4119.

Any employers who have job openings and want to participate in the job fair can call Katherine Pendergrass at 427-4119.

Editor Charles Warner can be reached at 864-427-1234, ext. 14, or by email at cwarner@civitasmedia.com.