The lines snake around Ruth Eckerd Hall as job seekers waited to speak to employers. Some left frustrated after being told to apply online.
By MEGAN SCOTT
Published April 1, 2004
CLEARWATER - The box office was closed.
And the headliner was not a superstar.
But the line outside of Ruth Eckerd Hall on Wednesday snaked around the building.
For the 2,000 people who waited to get inside the double doors and up the stairs, there was something far more valuable inside the Margarete Heye Great Room - job opportunities.
"Seeing this many people at the job fair, that's tough to see," said Garry Burlingame, business services manager for WorkNet Pinellas. "It's the middle of the afternoon, which means a lot of these folks may not be working."
Job seekers began camping out two hours before the four-hour fair started.
Some had on business suits. Others chose khakis and polo shirts. And a few had on blue jeans. The crowd was made up of retirees, fresh college graduates and business professionals.
Everyone sought the same thing: a job.
And for most of them, the frustration showed.
Once inside the great room, people had to maneuver their way through another crowd only to stand in line again to speak to company representatives. Some waited only to be told to submit their resume through the corporation's Web site.
"This was a complete waste of time," said Roger Radjeski, 57, of Pinellas Park, as he emerged from the fair. "I stood in line for an hour to get in. I gave out four resumes. I have to go home, go to these employers' Web sites and submit my resume."
Radjeski has been out of work for more than a year. His unemployment benefits have run out, and he has to pay child support for two children. He has applied for more than 200 jobs nationwide. His background is in manufacturing, and those positions seem hard to come by, he said.
"I didn't know it was going to be this big," said Lex Poppens, director of marketing and communications for Ruth Eckerd Hall. "It's shoulder to shoulder in the great room. There are people with gray hair and people who it looks like their first time. There are people in wheelchairs here. There are all kinds here. We've had job fairs before but nothing quite like this." Recruiters from the more than 30 companies never paused.
Brigitte Whitaker, human resources recruiter for Operation PAR, complained of aching feet and a hungry stomach. She sat on her knees in a chair behind a table.
"You have to have a passion to do this," she told a job seeker. "This is hard work."
The Clear Channel Radio table was equally busy.
General sales manager Tom Doyle was expecting about 50 people - not 2,000. The company has a few openings for account executives and an administrative assistant.
"It's overwhelming," he said. "We've got some great applicants though. It's been a very worthwhile investment of time."
Perhaps the fair was better for employers than job seekers.
Pat Floyd, 25, a graphic artist, came with 10 CDs of his resume. He gave out none.
He has been unable to find a job since graduating from the University of South Florida in December 2001. It seems that companies are not looking for a graphic artist, he said.
"I try job fairs, the Internet, the paper," said Floyd, who has a mass communications degree. "I've done cold calls. I don't get call backs. I'm trying to find anything."
Searching for a job is even harder at 62, said Cy Totten, of Clearwater.
He has been retired for six years. Most of his savings were lost in the stock market.
"It's not a pretty sight out there," he said. "Nobody's hiring."
Anthony Boyd was a little more positive. He handed out half of his resumes.
"I guess any time you hand out a resume, it benefits you," he said. "What surprises me is that there are this many qualified, professionals who are out of work."
Another job fair is scheduled at the Clearwater campus of St. Petersburg College from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday.
