Amazon announces virtual career fair offering 33,000 new jobs

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Amazon is inviting the public to take part in a virtual career fair next week where prospective hires can submit resumes for its corporate and tech divisions as the retailing juggernaut continues its expansion during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the latest sign of how it’s prospering while others are faltering during the global public health crisis, Amazon said on Wednesday it is seeking to bring aboard 33,000 people for corporate and tech roles in the next few months.

It’s the largest number of job openings it’s had at one time, and the Seattle-based online behemoth said the hiring is not related to the jobs it typically offers ahead of the busy holiday shopping season.

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It’s the largest number of job openings it’s had at one time, and the Seattle-based online behemoth said the hiring is not related to the jobs it typically offers ahead of the busy holiday shopping season. An Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, New York, is seen above

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While the coronavirus pandemic has devastated large swathes of the global economy, Amazon has seen its stock price continue to climb as the company raced to keep up with growing demand for its online retail services

‘COVID-19 continues to affect millions of people across the country, and people are eager for the opportunity to get back to work,’ Beth Galetti, SVP of Amazon Human Resources said in a press release. 

‘We’ve created more jobs in the United States over the past decade than any other company – and we are continuing to hire people from all backgrounds and at all skill levels. 

‘We are glad to be able to mobilize more than 1,000 experienced recruiters and HR professionals to help job seekers across the country learn about opportunities at Amazon and elsewhere.’ 

Amazon can afford to grow its workforce: It is one of the few companies that has thrived during the coronavirus outbreak. 

People have turned to it to order groceries, supplies and other items online, helping the company bring in record revenue and profits between April and June. 

That came even though it had to spend $4billion on cleaning supplies and to pay workers overtime and bonuses.

At the closing bell on Wall Street on Wednesday, Amazon’s share price soared by more than 3.7 per cent. It closed at 3,268.61 per share. 

Demand has been so high, Amazon has struggled to deliver items as fast as it normally does and had to hire 175,000 more people to help pack and ship orders in its warehouses. 

Walmart and Target have also seen sales soar during the pandemic.

But other retailers have had a rougher time. J.C. Penney, J.Crew and Brooks Brothers have all gone bankrupt. 

And Lord & Taylor, which has been in business for nearly 200 years, recently said it will be closing its stores for good. 

Companies across other industries have announced buyouts or layoffs, including Coca-Cola and American Airlines.

Amazon said the jobs will be centered around Amazon´s offices across the country, including Denver, New York, Phoenix and its hometown of Seattle. 

The new hires will work from home at first, but the company said it does want employees to return to the office eventually.

Ardine Williams, Amazon’s vice president of workforce development, said plans to build a second headquarters near Washington, DC, are going as planned, despite the pandemic, with 1,000 workers already hired.

To fill the 33,000 jobs, Amazon said will hold an online career fair on September 16 to collect resumes and give people a chance talk to a recruiter. 

The average salary of corporate or tech job at Amazon is $150,000, Williams said. 

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Meanwhile, Amazon’s founder and CEO continues to grow his unprecedented personal fortune. Jeff Bezos has topped Forbes’ list of richest Americans for the third year in a row. Bezos is seen in Washington, DC, in September 2019

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The top ten members of the Forbes 400 list for 2020 are seen in the table above

Those not interested in a job at Amazon can also get resume help, the company said.

At a similar career fair last year, about 17,000 people showed up in person and Amazon said it received more than 200,000 applications for 30,000 jobs.

In July, the company said its workforce topped 1 million worldwide for the first time, making it the second-biggest US-based private employer behind Walmart Inc.

Meanwhile, Amazon’s founder and CEO continues to grow his unprecedented personal fortune.

Jeff Bezos has topped Forbes’ list of richest Americans for the third year in a row.

His personal net worth as of Tuesday neared $180billion. 

The aggregate wealth of the Forbes 400 list, released on Tuesday, rose to a record $3.2trillion, as the richest Americans continued to do well even though the pandemic has devastated the economy and caused more than 1.8 million Americans to lose their jobs.

Eric Yuan, chief executive officer of Zoom Video Communications, which has become ubiquitous in the work-from-home era, was one of 18 newcomers on the list with a net worth of $11billion.

Trump’s ranking dropped to No. 352 from 275 last year as his net worth fell to $2.5billion from $3.1billion, as office buildings, hotels and resorts, have suffered during the pandemic.  

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