Greater Hall Chamber to host job fair Wednesday

65 companies will be on hand, a good chunk of them hiring, for the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce's job fair, which will be held Wednesday at the Gainesville Civic Center.
 
The event runs from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., according to the Chamber's website, and it is free and open to the public.
 
Mike McGraw, owner and strategic partner with Pridestaff staffing services, offered a few pointers to anyone planning to attend who might be hoping to land a job.
 
"I would do a lot of education online, and find out who's going to be there ... Know your targets. Know where you want to work. Know what they do," said McGraw.
 
A full list of exhibitors that are looking to hire is available on the Chamber's website.
 
McGraw said anyone looking for a job should bring the necessary supplies with them.
 
"Right off the rip, have a pen. That's the most important thing. You'll definitely want a stack of resumes," said McGraw.
 
How potential employees are dressed is important, too, said McGraw. Candidates should dress as if they are about to have a job interview on the spot (which is possible, at career fairs like this).
 
"Above all else, it goes back to common sense. Look people in the eyes, give them a smile and sound confident. That's 90 percent of everything," said McGraw.
 
But, as with anything, there are two sides to this job fair. Employers are also looking to gain something from these events: good employees.
 
"Most of what (employers are) doing is bringing in all the different names of people, and screening exactly what they have on their resume. But more importantly, (employers) are making notes," said McGraw.
 
Should you hand over a resume to a potential employer, McGraw said not worry if they start scribbling notes while you're chatting with them. In fact, he said that's often a good sign, since it will give them notes that will help them recall you if they return with a follow-up.
 
"Other companies -- and I won't name them out loud -- are high-speed recruiting (at the fair), right there on the spot. It's really cool to see some of it in action. They'll bring a team of recruiters, and right there they're just going through it, doing (an) interview. When you walk out of there, you're scheduled for your drug screen and any other screens they might want to do," said McGraw.
 
He said with the jobless rate for the Gainesville metro sitting at 5.4 percent (as of Thursday morning), there is no reason somebody looking for a job shouldn't be able to find one.