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Jan 13, 2009 5:52 pm US/Central
Job Fairs Are Well Attended In Shaky Economy
(WCCO)
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According to the Labor Department, employers across the country cut more 520,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate is the highest it's been 16 years.
CBS
It seems like every one knows someone who is out of work these days. In fact, right now there are more than 2 million Americans who have recently lost their jobs.
According to the Labor Department, employers across the country cut more 520,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate is the highest it's been 16 years.
In Minnesota, economists expect we'll see around 1,000 people losing their jobs every week.
With numbers like that it's no surprise that those unemployed workers are doing all they can to find companies who are hiring. That's why job and career fairs are more well attended than ever.
Tuesday, at the Minneapolis Convention Center, the Star Tribune hosted a career fair which drew hundreds of job seekers.
"Today's (job) candidates are probably more than we've ever seen before. We probably had 200 to 300 people waiting at 11 o'clock when we opened the doors," said Star Tribune Sales Recruitment Manager Helen Yarmoska.
Job searchers, like Dave Sodergren, who has been working for decades, and recent college graduates looking for their first career job attended the fair.
"I became unemployed Dec. 22 -- I got my lay off notice," said Sodergren.
"It's definitely hard. I talked to my career services advisor and she said, 'Don't be frustrated if you don't find a job within six months,'" said job hunter Kristin Jacoby.
The job seekers are all there hoping to walk into the dim rooms and come out with a brighter employment future.
"It's frustrating. There are so many people out there looking for a job and being competitive. It's tough. It's hard. And it's scary," said Sodergren.
Companies range from Verizon wireless to Avon to the U.S. Boarder Patrol.
Other states were also there looking for health care workers -- mostly nurses -- but job openings in the medical field are so selective. The only candidates allowed in the health care pavilion at the fair are those with experience or education in the field.
It was a mixed bag of emotions as people left the fair.
"It's small ... I expected to have more job companies representing themselves -- more job opportunities," said Sodergren.
"I'm confident that I'll find something," said Jacoby.
Also popular at the career fair were speakers with job search secrets, tips on being your own headhunter and networking advice.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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