More than 100 potential applicants had registered for United Community Ministries' Spring Job Fair by noon on March 19 at the South County Government Center on Richmond Highway.
"We have 15 employers represented who are in the market for personnel in a wide variety of categories," said Rigoberto Luis, director, UCM's Workforce Development Center. "This is our second job fair and it is going very well."
SOME OF THE FIRMS and organizations with displays and recruiters present included Harris Teeter, American Security Programs, the U.S. Army, U.S. Small Business Administration, Fairfax County government, Safeway, Wachovia Bank and Hilton Mark Center.
"We've had very good interest. We are hiring everyone from baggers and stockers to assistant store managers," said George Gauldin, recruiter, Harris Teeter. He was assisted by Michele Harris, a store co-manager.
In the case of Wachovia Bank, they were looking for potential tellers to staff their myriad branches across Northern Virginia. "This has really been great for us," said Christy Kearns, recruiting coordinator.
Joyce Mears, economic development specialist, SBA, was conducting one-on-one interviews with potential entrepreneurs. "I'm speaking with them one at a time to walk them through the process of starting a business," she said.
She conducted a two-hour workshop, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., emphasizing the various SBA programs and services available to small entrepreneurs. It not only presented all the steps necessary to commence a successful endeavor but also gave applicants a "Northern Virginia Resource List" and "Helpful Web Sites."
In addition to SBA's program there were two other Micro Business Workshops presented throughout the day. ECDC Enterprise Development Group discussed Business Planning and Personnel from 2 to 4 p.m. They then joined with Community Business Partnership for an hour-long program offering information on how to secure micro loans.