Representatives from 48 businesses had the chance to meet with 200 job seekers who attended the fourth annual Jefferson County Job Fair, held Oct. 19 at the Fox C-6 Service Center in Arnold.
The Job Fair, presented by Express Employment Professionals, also was sponsored by Leader Publications, the Arnold Chamber of Commerce, the Fox C-6 School District, the city of Arnold and Jefferson College.
“There was a good applicant flow,” said Cody Ballah, owner of Express Employment Professionals.
He said the Job Fair also offered local employers the opportunity to connect with each other.
“It is nice to be with other employers who are sharing thoughts and seeing what is going on in the industries,” Ballah said. “The employers are learning from each other. There is a community aspect to this. It is good for the employers and active candidates to come in and congregate.”
In all, about 300 people attended the event. Along with business representatives and job seekers, Fox and Seckman high school Student Council members were on hand to greet those who showed up at the event.
About 500 people attended last year’s Job Fair, including approximately about 350 job seekers, and in 2019, more than 500 job seekers attended the event. The 2020 Job Fair was held virtually, and it drew more than 170 registrants and 20 employers.
“Compared to some of the previous years, it is a lower attendance, but with the current times, it is probably pretty average,” said Margie Sammons, Arnold Chamber of Commerce board member and Job Fair chairwoman. “(Arnold) Mayor Ron Counts had this idea and mission to have a Job Fair for the community. It is good to continue to have it. I think there are a lot of people out there who are looking for a job, or maybe they have retired and are looking for a position to get out of the house and be connected with people.
“I think it is important that we continue to host it because I think we will still have participation.”
Jessica Schaffer, 30, of Imperial said she was glad the Job Fair was held after she left her job as a graduate admission counselor at Lindenwood University in St. Charles in July.
“It is quite a trek from Imperial to St. Charles every day,” she said.
Schaffer said she is seeking a job in staffing and talent acquisition, and she enjoyed meeting with the company representatives at the fair.
“I love a job fair,” she said. “As a millennial, it is difficult to navigate the job market online. There is something about face-to-face, in-person interaction that does not come across through a Microsoft Word resume. This is the way I like to find jobs, going to job fairs, meeting people, networking and getting out there. It was a good experience. I’m very happy this was held.”
Stacy Howell, 52, of Herculaneum said she moved to Jefferson County from Van Buren about a month ago, and she learned about the Job Fair by reading the Leader.
“I’m getting familiar with the area, and I’m just keeping my eyes open for a job opportunity,” she said. “I think it was great. You had a chance to meet with different people and see the different positions that are available.”
Zlata Rahmanovic, 36, of Fenton said she learned about the Job Fair in an email from her children’s school, Fox C-6 School District’s Ridgewood Middle School. She said she is looking for a job with a school district as a special education aide or in the health care industry.
“There was a lot to look at,” Rahmanovic said of the various employment opportunities at the fair.
Ballah said he believes the Job Fair was helpful for both companies seeking to hire employees and applicants seeking employment.
“(As a business), you want to be active in the community,” he said. “Jefferson County offers that sense of community. People like and buy from people they trust. Being able to speak about what your company does and the value it brings is important to demonstrate at a Job Fair.
“(Job applicants) got to be in person and see companies’ positions, rather than read about it on the web. They got to ask questions in an informal setting, rather than being interviewed.”
Representatives from Jefferson College’s Workforce and Employment Services were unable to attend the event as planned, but other college personnel attended and collected information from job seekers.
The college plans to hold a future employment event at its Arnold campus, 1687 Missouri State Road, and organizers will announce more details about it later.