Amazon kicks off career fair with 33,000 work-from-home jobs up for grabs

DALLAS (NEXSTAR) — Amazon is hosting its virtual career fair Wednesday, with plans to hire 33,000 people for corporate and tech roles that can start as remote positions.

The new hires will start out working from home but eventually will be asked to work in an office. Amazon is reportedly allowing employees to work remotely through Jan. 8, 2021.

The free three-hour job fair, dubbed 2020 Career Day, will start streaming online at 12 p.m. ET.

Amazon said its corporate and tech jobs, which average $150,000 in annual pay, will be centered around Amazon’s U.S. offices, including Denver, New York, Phoenix and Seattle, the location of its headquarters.

During the event, Amazon will collect resumes and allow people to talk to a recruiter. The company said 1,000 recruiters and HR professionals will provide 20,000 one-on-one career coaching sessions for job seekers. Even those not interested in a job at Amazon can get resume help.

The company said the 33,000 jobs, to be filled in the next few months, are separate from the typical hiring increase for warehouse workers it does ahead of the holidays.

“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, Amazon’s senior vice president of human resources, said in a statement. “We’ve created more jobs in the U.S. over the past decade than any other company – and we are continuing to hire people from all backgrounds and at all skill levels.”

At an in-person career fair last year, about 17,000 people showed up to events in six U.S. cities. Amazon said it received more than 200,000 applications for 30,000 jobs. The company currently has more than 875,000 employees worldwide.

“Events like this are incredibly important in helping job seekers develop a game plan and feel confident about their path,” Amanda Augustine, a TopResume career advice expert and Career Day panelist, said in a statement. “A lot of people are claiming unemployment for the first time ever and, therefore, may not know where to start.”

Amazon says no registration is required for Wednesday’s fair, but those who have pre-registered for a career coaching or breakout session should log in to view their personalized event agenda. Job seekers can apply for open positions at www.amazon.jobs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.