The Silver State is returning to mask-wearing as MGM Resorts forges ahead in the hopes of adding 3,000 people to its workforce.
MGM Resorts Looking to Bolster Work Force
Las Vegas is under pressure to keep COVID-19 cases under control as the number of infections continues to increase, and Nevada governor Steve Sisolak has already ordered the return of face coverings in 12 of Nevada’s 17 counties.
Gov. Sisolak will seek to avoid a slowdown in tourism in the Silver State, which suffered direly from the outflow of travelers in 2020. Yet, things seem to be looking up as MGM Resorts is on the lookout for 3,000 employees who are invited to attend the ongoing job fair held at One-Stop Career Center at 6330 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 190, and which will be wrapping up on Thursday.
MGM Resorts has been talking to candidates with hiring managers available on-site for interviews that could translate to instant hires in areas where the candidate is qualified and the company needs additional help.
In a conversation with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, MGM Resorts human resources director Brandon Perry said that the company was looking to hire people for jobs well across the board. Right now, MGM Resorts is looking for food and beverage workers, as well as security officers, Perry explained.
With several high-profile properties on the strip, to name Park MGM, The Mirage and Excalibur, MGM Resorts is still looking to recover its workforce after it was forced to put people on indefinite leaves and lay many employees back in 2020 during the nadir of the pandemic.
Addressing the New Challenges at the Job
While interest in the hospitality sector remains high by job seekers, there are also new challenges on the job to address. People still feel uncomfortable around a large group of people, and vaccination fears seem to still be turning some people off.
Many applicants have chosen to be much more selective in the jobs they choose, and while the pandemic has certainly reduced the scope of job opportunities, it has also changed how people view employment, as well.
Meanwhile, unemployment in the Las Vegas metro area remained at 9.6% in June, indicating that there may still be people who would be keen to take up a worthwhile job opportunity. MGM Resorts seems to be in a continuous hiring mode.
However, the new realities are that, as One-Stop Career Center managing director Joe Sharpe explained, job seekers are much more selective about what position they accept.
Another consideration is that job fairs usually have a conversion rate of around 10%, with most people just coming in to look up opportunities but not necessarily following through immediately.