Job fair's aim: Help workers get 'paycheck'

By Jonathan Babalola
Diversity Institute fellow

03.28.06

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As Terrance Davis strolled through the Gaylord Entertainment Center Tuesday speaking with prospective employers, the Nashville native was hopeful.

"This is my motivation right here," Davis, 25, said as he peeked down at his sleeping 1-month-old daughter, Terriana.

Davis was among the thousands of job seekers who packed the arena for the 11th annual Project Paycheck job fair.

More than 140 companies sent representatives to the job exposition, which included career-management seminars and free résumé critiques. The employers came from government agencies, retail, health care and manufacturing industries, among others.

"Look at this," said Davis' wife, Aniko, as she pointed to the numerous booths lined throughout the arena's concourse. "People can't say there's no opportunities."

Jennifer Lane, a Murfreesboro resident who was looking for a job in human resources, said she liked the fact that all of the potential employers were in one spot.

"It's going to allow me to meet many different companies within one day's time," Lane said. "It gives me the opportunity to come out, network and look at the different services that Project Paycheck has to offer."

Cookeville resident Lee Anderson pointed out a few obstacles, but none that would deter him.

"It's tough with the crowd," said Anderson, who was looking for a position in human resources and recruiting development. "You only have so much time with the recruiter because they're getting a million résumés, but you gotta do what you gotta do so that's all part of it."

In the most recent figures released by the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development, Davidson County's unemployment rate was 4.4 percent for January, while the state's was listed at 5.2 percent for February.

But Aniko Davis, 25, who works in customer service and is seeking a higher-paying position, said she believed that statistic would decrease sharply if more people came out to the job fair.

"Something's out here for everybody," she said, "and if it's not, they're not looking hard enough."

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