Imagine an opportunity during the pandemic to be hired on the spot. It’s not as out there as you may think.
“A lot of people who have experienced job fair, or participated in a job fair knows they’re huge, there’s a lot going on, and you’re lucky to get a five-minute conversation with something at a booth,” Amber Smithson, Director of Business Development at Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital said.
At this job fair, on the other hand, you’ll be interviewed right then and there and possibly hired for one of their 20 available full time and per diem positions. Here’s what's on the table:
Registered nurses, mental health workers, which are entry level positions that don’t require a degree and (pays about 14 an hour, according to Glassdoor, and diet aide positions.
This demand Smithson explained, comes due to a surge in children and adolescents needing their services. It also comes from vacant positions opening up because of the pandemic.
“You lose some staff, you gain some staff, some staff is pulled to work in med search hospitals, so we find ourselves like a lot of medical professions, in dire need of qualified, dedicated people that want to join our team,” Smithson said.
Prior experience may help you get the job, but ultimately, what behavioral health is looking for beyond the resume is empathy. For mental health workers for example, heart is needed, Smithson said as they’re assisting mental health patients directly with their daily needs.
“As far as I’m concerned, skills can be taught, but your empathy and compassion for our population is a lot harder to teach,” Smithson said.
Although not required, she said that it would be helpful if they have some sort of prior psych work experience or worked as a patient aid at a facility.
The job fair is Jan. 21st from 2 to 6 p-m. at their gym (5201 White Lane), which Smithson said gives plenty of space to space out. They’re also limiting how many people can be in there at a time. Masks are required and resumes encouraged.