Seventh annual Cape Girardeau career fair matches employers and job seekers

AARON EISENHAUER ~ aeisenhauer@semissourian.com Jacob Daniel, a representative from Anderson Broadcasting, speaks with Chris Moser, who came to the career fair Tuesday hoping to find a job that pays better than his current position. [Click to enlarge]

After 15 years of working at a nursing home, Pam Henderson said she quit her job because of burnout.

The Scott City resident has been looking for employment since June and hoped to find the answer Tuesday at the seventh annual career fair.

Henderson admits times are hard on the working class and events like the Career Fair are key to helping them find a job.

"This is nice because by coming here I don't have to do all the work by myself since a lot of employers are right here in one place," said Henderson, who was looking for opportunities as a certified nursing assistant at a Cape Girardeau hospital. "With the economy the way it is, any help I can get is welcomed."

Sponsored by the Southeast Missourian and the city of Cape Girardeau, the fair at the Osage Community Centre allowed job hunters such as Henderson to fill out applications and visit booths of recruiters from 42 companies, most of whom had immediate job openings. Some of the employers there included Re/Max Realty, the Missouri Department of Corrections, Pepsi MidAmerica, Arbonne International, Integrity Home Care, Elite Travel & Cruises, Anderson Broadcasting and Southeast Missouri State University.

The 829 job hunters there also had an opportunity to attend sessions with professional resume writer Samantha Nolan.

Event organizer Robin Strop, Southeast Missourian classified advertising manager, said the fair was a convenient way for job seekers to connect with area employers under one roof.

AARON EISENHAUER ~ aeisenhauer@semissourian.com Attendees fill out applications for prospective employers at the career fair Tuesday at the Osage Centre. [Click to enlarge]

"I expected more people this year because of the economy," Strop said. "We had a lot of people pass through here who hopefully found what they were looking for and needed."

Macy's department store was looking to fill 77 sales and support positions for its West Park Mall location. June Johnson, assistant general manager of human resources and operations from the company's corporate office in Atlanta, said the fair is a valuable tool to recruit potential employees.

"This is huge because we get to see a large amount of people coming in here looking for employment," Johnson said.

Kendra Odom, regional vice president for Primerica Financial Services, was hoping to recruit trainers, team developers and managers for its new office in Cape Girardeau. A member of Citigroup, the company has more than 100,000 licensed representatives and more than 26,000 licensed mutual fund representatives in North America.

"We're here on a crusade to teach middle-income families about their money," Odom said.

Loarn Huff of Patton, Mo., was hoping the Career Fair would lead to an opportunity that would allow him to change careers. Huff works for a trucking company and wants to have a job that allows him to spend more time at home with his family.

While he was hoping to land a job in the construction business, Huff was open to other possibilities.

"Hopefully this career fair has helped," Huff said. "It has saved me a lot of time by not having to run around to different businesses around town. Having them together in one place certainly was a big timesaver."

Like Huff, Southeast senior William Schatz of Cape Girardeau was not ruling out any particular field. Though his major is music, Schatz said he does not expect to enter that field after his December graduation.

"I've updated my resume beforehand and prepared the best I could," Schatz said. "But I'm not concerned about the economy. I know I'll find something."

bblackwell@semissourian.com

388-3628