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Job hunters take advantage of job fair

By Kevin Wheeler - bio | email | Twitter

HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) - The Governor's Job Fair Network along with the Mississippi department of Employment Security held a job fair in Hattiesburg Tuesday. 

"We keep a very narrow focus and that's to help any unemployed person in the state of Mississippi go to work," said Joe Buckner, director of the Governor's Job Fair Network.

"The people that are coming through those doors are looking for hope and they are looking for a way to provide for their family," Bucker added.

Even in a recession many companies stay on the lookout for new potential employees.

If we find two or three of them it's a success for us and the quality so far this year has been great," said Mark Butler, regional sales coordinator for AFLAC.

"we're putting people to work and we'd like to ease their mind as long as they meet their requirements and are eligible to go to work in the industry, we'd love to talk to them," said Robert White, regional manager for Truck Driver Institute.

Fifty companies were represented at the job fair, and just over a thousand applicants were ready to impress. One of those was Kandace Martin.

"I have a web program degree so I'm looking for something that goes with computers," said Martin. "It's hard to find that specific thing right now."

Asia Allen is a recent USM graduate she said she has experienced the same thing.

"A lot of companies are on hiring freezes and stuff like that so it has been very difficult for me to find a job, especially in my field."

Both Allen and Martin are hoping the fair will change that.

"I've made a few contacts that seem pretty promising today," said Allen.

"I've talked to Howard Industries quite a bit and I'm hoping I can get it with them."

Officials with the job fair say there were 158 job offers from employers and they expect to hire nearly 450 applicants in the coming year.

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