In these lines, a sense of urgency to find work

By Gargi Chakrabarty, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 21, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Photo by Preston Gannaway / The Rocky

Unemployed workers talk with companies at a job fair in Longmont on Thursday. According to organizers, more than 1,000 people attended the event, one of several held around the state.

More than a thousand job seekers braved the cool fall weather Thursday, flooding into a warehouse here, clutching jackets and resumes, hoping to find work in these depressing economic times.

Gloria Belden, 51, was among them. She has been more or less unemployed for the past two years, losing her last job, at IBM, in September after only two months. Her unemployment benefits run out this month.

Belden scanned the crowded warehouse, checking out the companies that had set up booths, and zeroed in on MoonFire Corp., a software company. But she quickly became deflated.

MoonFire was looking to hire only one person, someone with a bachelor's degree and two years' work experience. The position: customer care/software supporting; starting salary, $34,000.

"I don't want to waste my time," Belden said, deciding not to submit a resume. "Look at how many people have come here looking for work. Companies should be honest about how many jobs they are looking to fill, what kind of employees they are looking for."

At the nearby SOS Staffing booth, officials told those standing patiently in long lines to submit their resumes online.

Wind-blade manufacturer Vestas, oil services giant Schlumberger and other companies would accept online applications to fill 150 positions, with salary packages ranging from $30,000 to $70,000, said Tammy Fisher, SOS Staffing's area manager.

All told, the companies at the fair were looking to fill 700 positions, according to Marie Llamas, employment manager for the Weld County Department of Human Services. That's sobering, given that nearly 140,000 Coloradans are searching for work.

Ernie Bocanegra, 32, and his wife, Janel, 26, stood in a corner, anxiety written on their faces.

Bocanegra had been laid off from a heating and air-conditioning company several weeks ago. His wife doesn't have a job, either - she stays at home, in Evans, to look after their children, ages 5, 4 and seven months.

"I have been looking for weeks now, but it's hard to find a job," he said. "I am applying for any kind of job right now."

IN HIS OWN WORDS

Patrick Haney

* Age: 25

"I am looking for anything that has to do with renewable energy, mainly with solar energy. I'll take a walk through, see if they are offering any classes for renewable energy, like training in solar panel installation. I believe that will be the way of the future."

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