<div dir="ltr"><div>Job Seeker and Employer Registration for the 2022 Washington Seminar Career Fair is now up. We expect registration for agency job developers to be up tomorrow. Here is the letter about it that I prepared for wide distribution:</div><div><br></div><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span>Dear
Employer, Job Seeker, or Job Developer for the Blind,<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span>The
Washington Seminar Career Fair will be a virtual Zoom fair. It will occur on
Monday February 7, 2022, from 11 am to 1 pm eastern time. Registration is open
now. Registration forms for each group are available on this page:<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-career-fair" target="_blank" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline">https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-career-fair</a><span><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span>Registration
opens on Wednesday, September 12 and closes on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, at
8:00 pm eastern time. Nobody will be able to register after that. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span>The
NFB Employment Committee runs the career fairs and other employment activities
during the year. It is our goal to bring employers who are interested in hiring
blind people in contact with blind people who are looking for employment. We do
seminars and other activities to help blind job seekers develop interviewing
and other skills. We also recruit employers and answer their questions about
hiring blind people. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span>There
is no charge for the fair. Our career fairs usually bring in around 100 to 200
blind job seekers, including some agency job developers who are looking for
jobs for their blind clients. The number of employers ranges from 20 to 45. Employers
will be seeking blind and low vision persons with all levels of skills and
experience. There will be full time jobs, part time and seasonal jobs, and
internships. Post-COVID, an increasing number of jobs will involve remote work,
but many will require onsite work, and some will require relocation. <span> </span><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span>Each
employer who attends our Washington Seminar Career Fair will get a Zoom room
which they can customize to meet their needs. The room is expandable, so they can
have a waiting area in which job seekers can get general information about the organization
and its career offerings, and breakout rooms in which recruiters can conduct
screening interviews. Job seekers will enter the main room on a first come,
first serve basis. If too many job seekers show up at one time, some may be
asked to return later. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span>Deafblind
job seekers are encouraged to attend the career fair but should arrange for interpreter
services with their state rehab agency. Any deafblind person who has difficulties
getting agency support should email or text Dick Davis or John Dubay well before
the career fair. See their contact information at the end of this letter. <span> </span><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span>We strongly
encourage all job seekers to attend our seminars on January 17 and 24. <u>Zoom
Etiquette and Tools for Blind Job Seekers</u> will teach them technical and
interviewing skills needed to interview for jobs in the Zoom environment. <u>Fearless
Interviewing for Blind Job Seekers</u> will further build their self-confidence
and interviewing skills. Attend our seminars - don’t show up on February 7 wondering
what to do! <span> </span>If you need extra help, including
help using Excel spreadsheets, contact us well in advance, and we will attempt
to find someone to help you personally. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span>Career
Fair employers need to attend our <u>Employer Zoom Room Training</u> seminar.
It will provide them with the skills they need to run their Zoom rooms, get
their questions answered, and learn helpful hints on how to interview blind
people. Employers need to have at least two persons to run their Zoom room: one
with technical skills and one with recruiting skills. We cannot provide someone
to run an employer’s Zoom room, but will be able to help with problems employers
encounter before the Career Fair. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span>Seminar
Dates and Times<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span>Monday, January 17, 7:00 to 8:15 pm eastern time,
seminar: <u>Zoom Etiquette and Tools for Blind Job Seekers</u> via Zoom (see
registration page for link).<span><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span>Monday, January 24, 7:00 to 8:15 pm eastern time,
seminar: <u>Fearless Interviewing for Blind Job Seekers</u> via Zoom (see
registration page for link).<span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span>Monday,
January 31, 3:00 to 4:15 pm eastern time, seminar: <u>Employer Zoom Room Training</u>
(link will be provided to registered employers).</span><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span>Other
Events<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span>Tuesday,
January 25, 2022, 8 pm eastern time: end of registration. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span>Wednesday,
January 26, 2022: <span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.75in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span>Distribution
of registered employer Excel spreadsheet to jobseekers and job developers.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.75in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span>Distribution
of registered job seeker and job developer Excel spreadsheets and jobseeker
resumes to employers. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.75in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span>Employers,
job seekers, and job developers can contact each other and set up interview
times at the career fair. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span>Week
of January 31, 2022: <span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.75in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span>Distribution
of Zoom rooms to employers: <span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.75in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span>Job
seekers and job developers receive access links to employer Zoom rooms. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraph" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span>February
7, 2022: Career Fair 11 am to 1 pm eastern time. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span>Registered
individuals and organizations will receive additional information prior to the
Career Fair. If you have questions in the meantime, please contact one of the
following members of the Employment Committee. If emailing, please include your
phone number in case we need to call you. We look forward to a successful
career fair!<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span>Sincerely,
<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span>Dick
Davis, Chair<span> </span>John
F. Dubay, Employer Liaison<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span>NFB
Employment Committee<span> </span>NFB
Employment Committee<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span>612-719-0753<span> </span>410-671-4850<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:dickblind@gmail.com" target="_blank" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline"><span>dickblind@gmail.com</span></a><span style="color:blue"><span> </span><u><a href="mailto:jdubay@leadsatscale.com">jdubay@leadsatscale.com</a></u></span><span><span></span></span></p>
</div></div>