When Steven Ramos, 20, moved to Union City from California five months ago, he had no idea how difficult it would be to find a full-time job.
“I’ve been applying at certain stores,” said Ramos. “But it’s hard.”
Ramos attended the job fair sponsored by Union City on Tuesday in search of a customer service job. He also brought his cousin and friend with him, both of whom were looking for work.
Also looking was Dimitri Pearson, a junior at High Tech High School, because basketball season is over and he wants a part-time job to help out his mom. Although he’s tried several places, he hasn’t found a spot yet.
But job market struggles these days are not just limited to young entries to the market. Magaly Rangel was laid off from her job with a laundry company a year and a half ago and has been in search of a new one ever since.
Over 1,000 people attended the job fair hosted by Union City.
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Offering jobs
People lined the hallways of Union City High School for their chance to peruse the employers who had set up tables at the fair. Only approximately 20 people were allowed in at a time to allow employers to speak individually with applicants.
HMS Host was in search of people to fill the 25 openings they have for upcoming summer employment, which may carry over into the fall. They run concessions in airports.
Matt Kougasian, the assistant manager, said the response from job seekers was high.
“It’s good so far,” said Kougasian. “I want to see how many actually apply.”
The New Jersey Department of Corrections gave out information for individuals interested in applying for the June 1 test and directed people to their website, a strategy that many employers at the fair used.
Several local employers invited applicants to inquire at the fair directly, such as Loving Care Agency of West New York. The agency was at the fair in search of an RN manager, a position they were hoping to fill quickly.
Maria Cruz, branch manager at the Liberty Credit Union on 48th Street in Union City, said her company has participated in the last two job fairs sponsored by the city.
“We’re really trying to get involved in the community,” said Cruz. “And this is one of the ways we’re able to do it.”
In addition to the handful of job openings they offered, they were also hoping to offer assistance to job seekers via their financial products and services.
Providing services
Hudson One-Stop Career Services in Union City joined the fair to let the unemployed know about their programs: they provide training, help people organize resumes, and look for jobs. They even provide a center where the unemployed can use computers, fax machines, and telephones for their job search.
Vanessa Colon manned the table as an ambassador – she will begin her new job at Applebee’s next week. “I got a job through them,” said Colon. “So it’s good. I’m pretty excited.”
Dennis Pizzuto, the business customer representative, said it’s been harder to connect people with jobs lately.
“Recruiters themselves are hard to find,” said Pizzuto, who added they used to hold 18 recruitment events a month.
Pizzuto said that he’s been seeing a lot of people on welfare for the first time and college grads looking for work who come into the center.
New avenues
Rangel, the aforementioned woman who was laid off from a laundry company, said being unemployed has forced her to sign up for Medicare and food stamps, something she never thought she would have to do in her life.
“Too many people are getting laid off,” said Rangel. “It’s scary.”
Rangel is currently attending classes for Early Childhood Education and is also taking a computer skill building class through a workforce program.
She hoped her bilingual skills would help get her a job at Tuesday’s job fair, but she remained cautious about her prospects.
Noel Ortiz, a junior at High Tech High, said he has applied at two places looking for a little extra money, but hasn’t even received a call back.
As they concentrate on finding part-time jobs for now, high school students at the fair said they weren’t sure what they’ll do if the job market stays the same come graduation time next year.
Lana Rose Diaz can be reached at ldiaz@hudsonreporter.com.