| Updated: 5/13/2009 8:46 am |
Published: 5/12/2009 7:38 pm |
More than 5,000 people looking for work in central Arkansas will be anxiously waiting by the phone over the next few days. They all showed up at the Spring Job Fair in downtown Little Rock Tuesday and made connections with 51 potential employers. Now they're waiting for that all important phone call telling them they've got the job or at least an interview.
People aching for work stepped into a job-hunter's dream at the Statehouse Convention Center: 51 employers like Comcast, Acxiom, Blue Cross Blue Shield, all looking to hire. The pens were working overtime as folks scrawled out applications on the spot.
Laid off in January, it's do or die time for Casey Griffin. "Unemployment's starting to run out, getting close to the deadline for that, you got to find a job, got two kids and a wife and she's working 3 jobs trying to make everything work," Griffin said.
And all the layoffs have ramped up the competition at this one stop shop. "It's scary," says Griffin.
Fidelity Information Services got 500 resumes, many from highly experienced candidates, for 3 jobs. "It's an advantage and a disadvantage because you don't want to hire someone who's going to be bored in the position, you want to find the right candidate."
Tatiana Herrington works with the Central Arkansas Human Resources Association which partnered with the Arkansas Democrat Gazette to sponsor the job fair. She says even after Tuesday these companies will still be hiring, you just have to set yourself apart.
"Your resume has to be fantastic, short, concise," she explains.
"I'm just trying to come across as a hard worker, the dependable type that everyone knows you're serious about what you're trying to do and you're not here to play games," Griffin said.
