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Springfield Chamber and WorkPlus sponsor job fair

The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce has been looking at ways to get companies in Clark County to do more hiring. The Chamber received welcome news when a group of employers asked the organization to sponsor a job fair so they can find qualified people to hire.

Amy Donahoe of the Chamber, says Clark County's unemployment rate was a little over eight percent in March, and that's compared to nine percent at the same time last year. Those numbers would seem to indicate that companies in the Clark County region are not hiring.

But Donahoe says the Chamber along with the WorkPlus One Stop employment Center will host a job fair at the Courtyard Marriott Friday starting at 10 a.m. because numerous employers need help in filling  job openings.

"The reason we actually decided to do the job fair was because we were getting so many companies looking for a large array of employees in all disciplines," she said. "We really weren't planning to do a job fair this spring, but the employers were really asking for help in finding the right people for them. So this was a good opportunity for us to do this for the community."

Nearly 40 employers will be at Friday's job fair, and Donahoe says the Chamber made sure companies were coming with legitimate job openings.

"Most companies are coming to hire. I've asked that they submit the positions that they are doing hiring for that day. We intended to have a map on one side of the sheet and all the job listings on the other side of the sheet. We are up to two pages, front and back, of job openings. So, they are definitely looking to hire," she said.

Donahoe says since the unemployment rate has remained high, some have given up on finding a job. She says it is always a good idea to remind people what to do and expect when attending a job fair.

"We are asking job seekers to come professionally dressed with resumes in hand. I would suggest bringing a pen and paper to they can take notes," she said. " Come well rested and ready to go because some employers may do interviews on the spot."

Donahoe says many of the employers are in the manufacturing, health care and customer service industries. Last year the Chamber's job fair drew over 1,500 people.