Job fair more about networking than hiring

ASPEN — Approximately 175 prospective occupation searchers checked out the offers at a local occupation carnival Friday, but apparently not many actually landed gainful employment. According to some of the concerns represented, both the turnout and the run of new employees were mildly disappointing. "I'm not seeing a batch of traffic," said Toilet Avant Garde Benthuysen, portion proprietor of the Labor Beginning employment agency, which had a tabular array at the Aspen Chamber Resort Association's 2007 Occupation Fair, held at the Hotel Jerome Thousand Ballroom. But even if he doesn't acquire many employees out of the day's work, Avant Garde Benthuysen said, at least he is able to utilize the chance to web with other concerns and friends. Carrie Cook, holding down the tabular array for the Frias Properties existent estate company, said she had few potentially good appliers for business office or shuttlecock duties, and that such as occupation carnivals are hit-and-miss propositions for her company. "It hasn't failed miserably," she said cheerfully of the event, but agreed with Avant Garde Benthuysen that the chief benefit for her was meeting and greeting with other local concern people. Jim Engler, hiring director for the Boom Pitchfork Transportation System Authority, said he was looking mainly for drivers and that a occupation carnival such as as this 1 "doesn't look to pull very much for us." "We make better when we enroll out of state," he said, adding that the federal agency prefers to engage locals who have got housing. Genus Melissa Dipalola, recruiting coordinator for the Aspen Skiing Co., said her tabular array attracted "maybe 15 or 20" appliers with some potential. She also said there will be a recruiting tabular array set up at the Buttermilk Ski Area Retail Sale event today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and that the Skico will be recruiting in Carbondale on Nov. 8. The occupation fair's 30-plus tables, which were staffed by representatives of concerns big and small, were arranged around the walls and in the centre of the room. The representatives enticed visitants with munchies and such as gear as pens, ""church-key"" can openers and tubings of lip gloss, along with the possible of employment. By late morning, according to ACRA representatives, a mere 50 or so people had come up to look for work. The count had risen to 120 or so by early afternoon, but a figure of tabular arrays reported light involvement on the portion of prospective workers. Still, some said they felt well-served side the event. "It's really nice," said Dianna Platero, 24, who grew up in Aspen. "I like how they put it up. I believe it's really organized." That appraisal was echoed by a forties-something adult female who would place herself only as "Kathy," who lived in Aspen in the early 1980s, moved to New Jersey to raise a household and is now back to see what the town have to offer. "It's really great," she said of the occupation fair. "A small spot for everybody." Her tabular array mate, Dame Ellen Terry Murray, who have been in town since 1969 and owned respective concerns before retiring recently, was looking for "part clip concierge work, something like that" because, she said, "It's fun to work in this town." As for the occupation fair, she said, "I believe it's fabulous." She said it was informative to hear about the occupations available from people who actually work for the companies involved, "and you acquire to nipple all these yummy treats." Karen Keeley, undertaking director for the ACRA, said the attending at this year's carnival "was better than last year" and that the chamber's top brass will be reviewing this year's event "to see what might be done differently adjacent year."John Colson's e-mail computer address is .