This morning I learned there was to be a huge job fair in Richmond today - Monster.com’s “Keep America Working,” billed as “The Ultimate Career Fair,” part of a national tour of such events.
My husband (laid off, again - and with the last of his most recent unemployment benefits due to expire this month) has been consistently looking for work, but had not heard of this event until I told him, right after our local NBC affiliate re-aired, from last night, an optimistic-sounding story, indicating there were “hundreds of local jobs available.”
“A lot of job fairs tell you to just go online, so really it’s something I can do at home,” said [job seeker] Carissa.But things could be different tomorrow. Monster.com says some people will be hired right on the spot, others interviewed and some may get a phone call after all is said and done.
The event encouraged, but did not require, pre-registration, “to allow employers participating in the Richmond Career Fair to view your resume on-line.” This bit - inferring that prospective employers would be able to access job seekers’ resumes instantly while at the event itself, added some credibility to the NBC affiliate’s breathlessly reporting about the prospect of “on the spot” hiring.
So of course, we made sure he pre-registered, carefully reviewing every item, line by line. (I helped with this while he showered, ironed, and selected a proper tie to go with his best suit, suspecting this might make him overdressed relative to other job seekers, but, being a sincere professional, needing to get this aspect of his presentation just right.)
Confoundingly, while the event was sponsored by Monster.com, it was not possible to pre-register using one’s existing Monster.com login information; a whole new account would be created.
But rather than belabor these details, we simply went through the recommended processes. In addition, my husband printed several resumes “just in case” employers would not be able to access them electronically at the event itself, as had been implied.
The event began at 10:00 AM.
At 10:38, he texted: “I am in line outside, I have no idea how many are inside, but [there are] about 300 out here.”
Then, an hour later: “Made it inside. More lines in here. Woo!”
Twenty minutes later, he said he was glad he’d brought his printed resumes, since no one showed him as having pre-registered; in fact, there were no computers at the event at all (outside of non-interactive kiosks running Monster.com advertising in slide show format).
Booths for two major employers slated for the event were empty.
Another employer was only hiring for a few out-of-town positions because, get this, they were downsizing their presence here in Richmond.
The net result of my husband’s many hours spent at this job fair: he was able to give out printed resumes to a total of five overwhelmed recruiters, each of whom placed them in a pile, and encouraged him to visit their respective companies’ websites, and to submit applications online.
So, exactly what he’s been doing since April 22 of 2008, when he was first laid off, and again following a seven week temporary position which ended, now, months ago.
We’re two months behind on utilities, barely made this month’s rent, have one not always reliable car with more than 200,000 miles on it, are regular visitors to our local food bank, and we have no idea what we’re going to do once his unemployment runs out in a week or two.
We are not giving up. But good Lord, something has got to give.
