With temperatures hovering in the mid 20s, thousands of bundled up residents waited an hour ? or more ? to get inside a job fair held in Orion Township’s UAW hall.
Nearly 25 companies awaited 2,000 hopefuls at the fair, put on by UAW Local 5960, Orion Area Chamber of Commerce, Orion Township and Hired on the Spot.
Tammy Trador braved the chilly temperatures outside the UAW. She says even with a bachelor’s degree and eight years experience in accounting, she can’t find a job.
‘I would have never expected this two years ago, when it was easy to just put your resume out there and get a job. I just took it for granted,? she said.
Trador, who’s most recent job was in Lake Orion, is married with three children. Her oldest daughter is heading off to college and says tuition is ‘why I’m waiting in line for two hours.?
Sandy Mason was there with her nephew Jason Barnes and said they were looking for ‘some kind of work ? any kind of work.?
Barnes, 22, of Waterford, saw a Border Patrol vehicle parked outside and said he’d consider looking at Homeland Security for employment.
‘It’s a government job, so the pay’s probably not going to be great, but I have a kid on the way. Anything that I can do to take care of me and my family ? that’s what I’m worried about,? he said.
Barnes was let go from his previous job in custom automotive interiors. His aunt said she’d worked 12 years in electrical supplies before being laid off.
Inside the hall was a flurry of activity as attendees, dressed in skirts, heels and suits, made their way through the building.
Sandy Stewart , director of Visiting Angels in Lake Orion, said by 2 p.m., over 100 people had submitted resumes, and doors didn’t close until 5.
‘We have not stopped since we got here at 11 a.m.,? she noted.
Stewart said she was stock piling resumes for when Visiting Angels had an opening. Caregiver positions in the company were part time, without benefits, and paid $9 to $10 an hour.
Darleen Hereford, of Southfield, gave her resume to Visiting Angels and said she was looking for anything in medicine.
Hereford had been self-employed for 14 years writing grants in the medical-field and applied for seven different positions at the job fair.
Bill Kokoenis helped coordinate the event , noting that it went ‘very well.?
‘I’m happy we could provide this opportunity for people,? he said, adding, ‘But it was also extremely depressing. Some people had awesome resumes. These weren’t one-page resumes. Some of these people I saw had four sheets of paper.?
Tips on resume writing, interview dress code and online resumes were available for attendees.
Companies ranged from engineering firms to home health services to Homeland Security.
Kokoenis said many companies walked out with boxes full of resumes. He also noted plans for another ? bigger ? job fair are in the works.