WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP -- A recent job report showed that Pennsylvania's unemployment rate is at 5.7 percent. To combat that, more than 40 companies were on hand Tuesday at the Wyoming Valley Mall near Wilkes-Barre for a job fair.
Filling out applications and talking with employers, hundreds of people showed up to the first job fair at the Wyoming Valley Mall in Luzerne County.
Roger Cunningham of Swoyersville has been out of work for two months. He's seen plenty of seasonal positions open, but is now searching for something more permanent.
"I do a lot of different fields and there's a lot of qualified people looking for work so it's very difficult to find something," said Cunningham.
Job seekers say holding a job fair at a place like the mall is very convenient.
"It's right in the backyard and I can hopefully find a job today. I brought all the right stuff. I saw the advertisement early and now I'm ready to go," said Cunningham.
From automobile jobs to health care positions, employers at the job fair are looking to fill permanent positions.
"We are doing some expanding and Wilkes-Barre has some great people and we need the employees to come and come get a job with us," said Tracy Schooley of McCarthy Tire and Automotive Services.
Anthony Selby came to the job fair looking for a second source of income.
"We can always use extra cash. You can always use a little bit more. The holidays are coming up. We have extra bills so everything comes in handy," said Selby of Wilkes-Barre.
Officials are hoping to have a bigger job fair at the Wyoming Valley Mall next year.
