BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Just as unemployment benefits expire for millions of Americans, a broad range of companies are holding hiring events across the metro.
Red Lobster Seafood Co. wrapped up a two-day hiring event Wednesday to help fill positions at eight restaurant locations, including Bloomington, Burnsville, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Oakdale, Rochester and St. Cloud.
"Management positions, we're looking to fill about 10 to 12 positions," director of operations Tracey Dross said. "We're also looking for part-time managers as well."
This kind of open call hiring is full circle for Dross.
"I stopped at a Red Lobster," she said. "I knew that they were doing open interviews. I went in, interviewed with [the] director of operations and within a week I was hired with the company. So 17 years later, here I am as director of operations kind of doing the same thing."
Fellow director of operations Joe McGinn says Red Lobster searches for hires internally as well as externally.
"We do promote a lot from within just as my story started," McGinn said. "I started as a dishwasher for about four hours then I was trained as a cook. Did every position in between. Became a manager about 10 years in."
Their hiring event comes as the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development announces the expansion of six businesses, creating 381 jobs over next three years. According to the press release, $2.1M in award money from the Job Creation Fund has been allocated to Advanced Volumetric Alliance in Albertville, North Freeze Dry in Little Falls, Performance Food Group in Rice, ST Paper in Duluth, Silk Road Medical in Plymouth and Trystar in Faribault.
Also on Wednesday, U.S. Bank Stadium partners held a hiring fair to help fill around 500 part-time positions for the upcoming season of events, which will include Vikings games.
"Whether it's behind the concession stand, greeting people at the front doors or keeping the stadium looking beautiful," general manager John Drum said. "We have two concerts coming up in the fall. The building is busy again and we're looking for great people to add to the team."
If you missed the hiring events, Drum says to visit U.S. Bank Stadium's website, while Dross says to search "jobs" at Red Lobster's site.
There is at least one more big hiring event coming up Sept. 14 at Valleyfair for its fall season, ValleySCARE. The park is looking to fill hundreds of positions at $20 per hour for candidates 16 and older. There is even free onsite housing available for candidates 18 and older.