Looking for work? Meet recruiters at Sacramento County ‘Job Talk’ events
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- Sacramento County hosts weekly Job Talk events connecting job seekers with employers.
- Recruiters share hiring tips, collect resumes, and offer on-the-spot interviews.
- Participants gain clarity on hiring processes and access to subsidized job programs.
In a job market increasingly dominated by faceless online applications and digital job boards, Sacramento County’s “Job Talk” events offer local job seekers a rare advantage: the chance to shake hands with recruiters and potentially walk away with a job lead — or even a job offer.
Organized by the Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance, Job Talk sessions connect employers looking to hire with residents eager for work. These sessions are open to the general public and not limited to county program participants, offering an accessible on-ramp for anyone looking for their next paycheck — or their next career.
“Day to day, I get flooded with tons of resumes,” said Mercedes Burkhardt, a senior talent acquisition recruiter for Dignity Health, who recently participated in a Job Talk session. “When I have the opportunity to go out in the community and get face-to-face with candidates, answer their questions, review their resumes, and give them tips and pointers to help them be able to get jobs — that’s rewarding.”
She added: “Sometimes the best candidate isn’t always good on paper, but you have to speak with them.”
Job Talk sessions are held on Tuesdays at various employment centers around Sacramento County:
▪ 2450 Florin Road: first Tuesday of every month at 10:30 a.m.
▪ 2700 Fulton Ave.: first Tuesday of every month at 2 p.m.
▪ 3960 Research Drive: second Tuesday of every month at 10 a.m.
▪ 3801 Florin Road, Suite 107: second Tuesday of every month at 10:30 a.m.
▪ 5655 Hillsdale Blvd.: third Tuesday of every month at 10:30 a.m.
▪ 5747 Watt Ave.: fourth Tuesday of every month at 10:30 a.m.
During Burkhardt’s recent Job Talk presentation, she provided an overview of Dignity Health and guidance on navigating the company’s hiring process. She also highlighted roles that people might not immediately associate with healthcare systems such as housekeepers, cooks, security officers, and IT specialists.
“A lot of people think hospitals only hire doctors and nurses,” Burkhardt said. “We hire all positions, anything that you can think of to make a hospital operate.”
After her presentation, Burkhardt spoke individually with job seekers, critiquing resumes and offering candid advice on how to get hired — advice that can mean the difference between getting overlooked and getting an interview.
A personal touch in labor’s digital age
The format is straightforward. Each Job Talk session spotlights one or more local employers who share details about their companies, hiring processes, and current job openings. Attendees have time to ask questions in a group setting or wait in line to meet recruiters one-on-one. Employers often collect resumes on the spot—and sometimes even conduct interviews.
“Customers have the opportunity to speak with hiring managers and HR staff about current openings,” said Sandra Espindola-Cisneros, human services program manager in DHA’s Employment & Business Services unit.
Job Talk sessions are like mini-job fairs at different locations around the county.
Sometimes those conversations pay off quickly for employers and job seekers. At one Job Talk session in early June, Burkhardt met a woman interested in a health care role, and a few weeks later, Dignity Health had hired her to start work as a resident care aide.
“I was able to help her meet a need for herself but also for her family,” Burkhardt said. “It’s a win-win for the company and for the candidates when we are out there doing face to face versus just sitting behind our desk looking at resumes all the time.”
Job seekers also can meet DHA’s workforce coordinators at the events and get help to overcome their individual challenges. Espindola-Cisneros recalled woman, an immigrant from Sweden, who was struggling to find employment as a graphic designer,
A workforce coordinators assisted her with updating her resume and matched her with a job as an administrative assistant through the subsidized employment program, said Espindola-Cisneros.
If employers have a vacant position they intend to fill permanently, she said, they can apply to hire through the subsidized employment program, and if they’re selected, Sacramento County will reimburse them for the wages they pay during a training period of up to six months. Employers can terminate these new hires within 90 days if their skills don’t meet the necessary standards.
When the Swedish immigrant interviewed with one employer, they saw her graphic design experience, Espindola-Cisnero said, and instead of hiring her as an administrative assistant, they created a new subsidized position for her as a graphic designer.
Opening doors and advancing careers
For many job seekers, the biggest revelation at Job Talk is learning how the hiring process actually works.
Oftentimes, candidates will apply for different full-time positions with benefits and they never hear back, Burkhardt explained, and they believe they weren’t hired because recruiters or a digital job board didn’t think they were qualified.
But Burkhardt took the time during her past two appearances at Job Talk to explain that recruitment works differently in a union environment. Often, she said, internal candidates have seniority and will get the first opportunities to fill full-time openings with benefits.
She could hear job seekers saying, ‘Ah, OK,’ as light bulbs of understanding went off for them, she said. To get a foot in the door, Burkhardt suggested, job seekers could apply for per diem or on-call roles and save themselves months of frustration.
Where and how to attend ‘Job Talk’
The Job Talk schedule is subject to change. To keep abreast of updates, check out the flier at the Sacramento County DHA Employment Services website or call (916) 875-3330. Sacramento Works also posts Job Talk fliers and other information for job seekers on its Facebook page.
Attendees are encouraged to bring copies of their resumes and come prepared to speak with employers. Children are not allowed due to space limitations.
Placer County runs a similar program in collaboration with the Golden Sierra Job Training Agency that they call Job Connections. The next event, featuring Chapa-De health center, will be at 2 p.m. Aug. 7 at 11434 B Ave., Suite 500, in Auburn.
First-time Job Connections attendees should bring a photo ID and a social security card to gain admission. Email BAN@placer.ca.gov for more information on Job Connections.
Whether someone is seeking an entry-level job or a professional career change, these programs provide what job seekers often crave most: a human connection in the hiring process.
Want to make a good impression? Recruiters suggest researching the companies making presentations.
“Look at their website because their website is going to tell you a lot about the company,” Burkhardt suggested. “Know their mission statement. Know what they stand for.”
