On Wednesday, March 18, students filled the Mill Valley Community Center for the annual Mill Valley Job Fair, a chance to explore employment opportunities in the local community. The event, hosted by the City of Mill Valley, the Rotary Club of Mill Valley and the Tamalpais High School College & Career Center, ran from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. 

Greg Davidson, a Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) career liaison who helps students with their career interests, said the event goes beyond just employment.

“This is about people connecting with people. It’s about the community. Employers get to see how great our youth is and how bright our future is for them,” Davidson said. “We also want students to be connected to the fact that it’s a bright future to get jobs and new opportunities.”

Local businesses and organizations participated in the fair, such as Safeway, Teaspoon, Nugget Markets and Etlong, alongside volunteer programs and city services such as the Mill Valley Fire Department and the Parks and Recreation Department.

Kristina Rudzimskaya, founder of Etalon, a Tiburon-based local wellness brand that specializes in posture-correcting apparel for women, said she values student applicants for their enthusiasm and motivation.

Humberto Maldonado, a representative from Nugget Markets, a local supermarket with locations in Corte Madera, Tiburon and Novato, said the company prioritizes attitude over experience when hiring teenagers.

“Regardless of age, we’re looking for great attitudes. We’re looking for people who have fun and get things done. Great experience is provided here, and it’s just a very fun company to be at,” Maldonado said.

Students attending the fair stated their mix of curiosity, pressure from parents and preparation for their futures as reasons for attending the fair.

Junior Charlotte Paul said she came to explore career opportunities that she might not otherwise see. Paul also talked about the importance of getting a job as a junior in high school and the challenges that come with balancing the various aspects of her life.

“It’s time for me to get a job to build some skills that will be necessary for my future career,” Paul said. “It’s also hard to balance working a job, school and social life, especially during junior year.”

Maldonado emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive attitude, noting that it is a valuable skill students can develop through working in places like Nugget.

“Approaching life with a positive mindset is huge, regardless of whether or not you’re going to be an engineer or a lawyer. It’s all about living with a positive attitude and that’s one of the things a lot of people that work at Nugget take away,” Maldonado said.

Junior Melvin Lanphier said he came both to earn money and to learn about independence. He also highlighted how difficult it has been to find a job through online platforms, pointing out how helpful and important the job fair is.

“I’m looking to make money, learn some independence and help out the community,” Lanphier said. “I was looking online and on job sites like Indeed and never heard anything back. But at this youth job fair, they actually want you to come in and work for them. That’s why they’re here.”

Junior Lucas Voiles said the fair gave him a more direct experience with searching for a job, and it provides a face-to-face connection with an employer.

“This [job fair] makes it a lot easier than a normal job search. You’re actually able to go talk to the people hiring, in person, rather than online or signing up for interviews,” Voiles said.

City officials emphasized the importance of the event for students’ growth. Caroline Joachim, vice mayor of Mill Valley, repeated that face-to-face interactions with employers help teens gain experience and explore opportunities to a greater extent.

“These in-person, face-to-face conversations with employers are super important. It matches kids without job experience with opportunities, including volunteer roles, and helps them develop skills they’ll need for the future,” Joachim said.

Joachim also highlighted the long-term benefits of participating in the fair.

The Mill Valley Job Fair offered students more than just potential employment. From hands-on experience with local businesses to volunteer opportunities and direct guidance from community leaders, attendees gained valuable insight into the workforce. Organizers and participants alike said events like this help build confidence, practical life skills and connections that can benefit students far beyond high school.