Gallup Chamber Sets 11th Annual Spring Job Fair for April 10

For the 11th consecutive year, the Gallup-McKinley County Chamber of Commerce ran its Spring Job Fair on Friday, giving McKinley County residents a direct line to employers across health care, local government, education, retail, and the logistics businesses anchored to the I-40 corridor through Gallup.

The event's most immediate draw was on-the-spot interviews. Attendees who arrived with a resume and any relevant certifications or credentials could move from a first introduction at an employer booth to a formal candidate conversation without leaving the building. The Chamber organized the fair with three groups specifically in mind: returning veterans, young adults entering the workforce, and residents looking to retrain or pivot into a new career field.

Training providers shared floor space with employers, offering information on certificate and degree programs through local community colleges and workforce partners. That mix made the fair useful for jobseekers at different stages, whether ready to start work immediately or still mapping out a direction.

Workshop sessions on resume writing, interview skills, and career-path planning ran alongside the employer booths for attendees earlier in their search. The fair has historically been free for jobseekers, with employers and training providers paying in advance to reserve booth space.

McKinley County's unemployment rate stood at 5.5 percent in early 2025, and the county's relatively concentrated employer base means centralized hiring events carry outsize weight in moving residents into stable, higher-paying positions. The Chamber's next major spring event, Morning Brew with the Chamber, is scheduled for April 16.