Harlem Week has returned for its 16-day event from Aug. 1-16, including its annual Jobs and Career Fair on Wednesday, Aug. 12.
The one-day job fair will feature between 40 and 50 employers across a variety of industries such as health, energy, finance, technology, and public safety, hosting career workshops and interviews.
Dr. Michael Flanigan is a member of the Harlem Week executive board of directors and main organizer for the job and career fair who spoke about the importance of this year’s fair.
“If there’s one aspect of Harlem Week’s legacy that we should take away is its purpose of strengthening Harlem through its culture and community. Even though art and music are central to this festival, employment and economic mobility become critical,” Flanigan said.
Flanigan has noted that the Harlem Week organization is passionate about the fair as part of a large commitment and mission for the Harlem community.
“This provides you with the opportunity to get a job and receive income. Income allows you not only to support yourself and your family but also support your community. Everyone wins, including new hires’ children and their grandchildren,” Flanigan said.
The job fair debuted in 2022 as an economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic that left many New Yorkers unemployed and forced to reevaluate how they were going to support themselves and their loved ones.
According to Flanigan, the job fair had 400 attendees in 2022, 1,500 attendees in 2023, and a record of over 5,000 attendees in 2024.
“In 2024, I remember these lines of folks outside of City College going very far,” Flanigan said.
Last year, the job fair had around 4,000 attendees, according to Flanigan.
“Due to the current economic conditions of job opportunities, folks being laid off and companies downsizing has created this need for jobs or people needing to change careers. The job seekers range from teenagers to seniors,” Flanigan said.
The wide range of employers at the fair includes a diverse set of sectors such as health, education, construction, public service, hospitality, green jobs and energy.
The most common employers at the job fair are Mount Sinai Hospital, Con Edison, Chase Bank, Columbia University, the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, CCNY, MetroPlus Health, the MTA, NYPD, FDNY, the NY Department of Civil Service, and the Department of Parks and Recreation.
Flanigan believes that job seekers should have the preparation if they’re unemployed or attempting to change careers.
“The key is being prepared. Preparation means having your resume. It should reflect your work experience and qualities you would bring to a job. It doesn’t hurt bringing more than one resume,” Flanigan said.
Flanigan believes the Harlem job fair addresses modern challenges in the job market by providing very targeted opportunities from a demographic and geographical perspective.
“Due to this job fair being located in an area where many folks that are either middle to low income minorities reside, we’re bringing the opportunity to them as opposed to them having to travel to other locations,” Flanigan said.
Flanigan also believes the best way for employers to meet prospects are in person and how the job fair offers that strong sense of personability the job market desperately needs today.
“The benefits and advantages of the employers at this fair is they get to interact with well over 4,000 job seekers that they’ve spoken to and interviewed. They can leave that fair with a large number of prospective employees,” Flanigan said.
Flanigan has also spoken to the employing companies over the years and revealed job seekers leave with between 50 to 500 new jobs, whereas some have been offered jobs on the spot at the fair.
Harlem Week celebrates more than 50 years as a cultural institution in the New York community, whereas the Harlem Jobs and Careers Fair serves as a major cornerstone of the economic mobility of the city.
The fair represents more than just a job hunt but encourages the people of New York to take the steps necessary to a more collective, better future.
The Harlem Week Jobs and Career Fair is on Wednesday Aug. 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Shepard Hall, across the Great Hall, at the City College of New York (CCNY) at 160 Convent Ave, room 051.
For more information on the Jobs and Careers Fair, visit harlemweek.org.
