Sales and marketing firm N3 will be holding a career fair in Charleston Wednesday as it seeks candidates to fill some of the 300 positions it aims to bring to its announced West Virginia Regional Technology Park location.
The fair will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Clay Center. N3 is presenting the event in partnership with area colleges and universities, economic development organizations and others.
N3 representatives will be on hand to inform job-seekers about the company and available positions. The company, which is headquartered in Atlanta but has multiple locations throughout the world, primarily works with technology companies such as Google, Microsoft and Cisco in consumer adoption and revenue growth services.
The career fair won't revolve exclusively around N3 hiring for immediate need, said Ken Boggs, vice president of operations for the Tech Park location in South Charleston. The company will be looking to fill those 300 positions throughout the next 18 months, he said, so simply jump-starting community interest is one of the fair's main goals.
A bachelor's degree is required for N3 positions, according to Matt Ballard, president of the Charleston Area Alliance, a partner for the career fair.
N3 CEO Jeff Laue said in August that between 25 and 30 percent of the jobs at the Tech Park location will require a computer science or technical four-year undergraduate degree. The rest of the employment is fairly flexible in terms of degree, Ballard said.
"They do require a college degree, but it doesn't always have to be in something exactly like computer science," he said. "It can be a liberal arts degree. Some of their best folks come from a liberal arts background."
Sales or marketing experience is preferred for candidates, Ballard said, along with strong communication skills and the ability to learn about and understand information technology products.
Representatives from West Virginia's colleges and universities will be at the event. Those interested in working with N3 may not immediately qualify for an opening, but a higher education program may prepare them for future opportunities, said Samantha Godby, spokeswoman for the West Virginia Community and Technical College System.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., also a partner for the career fair, said in a news release that he encourages those in the Kanawha Valley who are interested to check out the fair and meet with company officials.
"Strengthening our economy requires a combination of new jobs and an educated, skilled workforce," Manchin said in the release. "This career fair - and the opportunities N3 is bringing to West Virginia - is a chance to show that we are ready to move West Virginia ahead."
Those unable to make the career fair can still apply for N3 job openings at n3results.com/careers/.
Reach Max Garland at max.garland@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4886 or follow @MaxGarlandTypes on Twitter.