In this guide
Looking for work in Seattle can feel like sending applications into a void. It gets easier with a person on your side: a career counselor who knows which employers are hiring, a tutor who’ll mark up your résumé overnight, or a training program with employers waiting at the end. Most of that help is free.
We’ve gathered the public job centers, recurring job fairs and no-cost training programs that serve Seattle job seekers, and checked each one’s current services, hours and locations. Schedules for hiring events change often, so use the links for the latest dates.
Updated November 2026
WorkSource Seattle-King County
The region’s public job centers offer one-on-one sessions with career counselors, job search and training resources, help with unemployment insurance, and workshops and hiring events. Seattle has two full-service locations: WorkSource Rainier on Rainier Avenue South and WorkSource North Seattle at North Seattle College. The YWCA’s downtown office is a connection site for virtual services and referrals.
- When
- Rainier (2531 Rainier Ave S) and North Seattle (9600 College Way N) are open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hiring events and workshops are posted on the statewide calendar.
- Cost
- WorkSource workshops are free.
Seattle Public Library job resources
The library is one of the best free career resources in the city. The Job Resource Center on Level 7 of the Central Library has job search computers, library staff can help in person or through Ask Us, and you can send your résumé or cover letter to a Tutor.com career tutor (in English, Spanish or Vietnamese) and get feedback within 24 hours. LinkedIn Learning covers interviews, résumés and computer skills, and Seattle residents can earn the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification at no cost.
- When
- The Job Resource Center is open during Central Library hours; online tools are available anytime.
- Cost
- Most resources are free. Ask the library for 90 days of free Jobscan Premium.
Sound Jobs hospitality career fairs
The Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County started these fairs in 2025 to connect hotel, restaurant and grocery employers with job seekers, and they’ve been held at Seattle Central College, South Seattle College and WorkSource North Seattle. They’re small and focused, with up to 30 employers who can collect résumés and interview on the spot.
- When
- A few times a year since 2025, on weekdays.
- Who it’s for
- Job seekers at every experience level who want work in hospitality. Walk-ins are welcome; bring a résumé.
University of Washington career fairs
UW’s Career & Internship Center runs a job and internship fair every quarter, plus specialized fairs for fields like nonprofits, communications and media, and government and public policy. Some are in person and some are virtual on Handshake. They’re built for Huskies, so check eligibility on each fair’s page before you go.
- When
- Job and internship fairs each fall, winter, spring and summer quarter; specialized fairs mostly in fall and winter.
- Who it’s for
- UW students and alumni.
Port Jobs: Airport Jobs
For work at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, from food service to aircraft maintenance, this program, run from an office at the airport, helps with job searches, online applications, résumés and the airport ID badge test. Its Airport University programs open paths into aviation maintenance and ground support equipment careers, and there’s help with food worker cards and childcare too.
- When
- The office at the airport (near Skybridge 2) is open Monday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Tuesday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hiring events are on its events calendar.
- Cost
- All services are free.
FareStart
Since 1992, FareStart has trained nearly 8,000 people for food-service careers through hands-on work in its own restaurants and cafes. Its Food Pathways and Barista & Customer Service programs serve people overcoming barriers to employment, and on average 68% of adult graduates find jobs within 90 days.
- Who it’s for
- Adults facing barriers to work who want a start in food, coffee or customer service.
- Cost
- The job training is free.
ANEW
ANEW (Apprenticeship & Nontraditional Employment for Women) has prepared women and underrepresented communities for skilled construction trades since 1980. Its free pre-apprenticeship training leads into apprenticeships and family-wage careers, backed by support services; 231 people graduated in 2025.
- Who it’s for
- Women and others underrepresented in the trades who want a hands-on career in construction.
- Cost
- Pre-apprenticeship training is free. ANEW is based in Tukwila, just south of Seattle.
Pioneer Human Services
For people with a conviction history, Pioneer offers job and business training and runs businesses that hire people coming home from incarceration or in recovery; more than half its employees fit that description. In South Seattle, its INVEST program helps justice-involved people start their own businesses.
- Who it’s for
- People with conviction histories looking for work or wanting to start a business.
Building a business rather than looking for a job? See our guide to networking in Seattle. One-off career fairs show up on our live events calendar.
Know a program we missed? Tell us.
