Employers connect with job seekers at Big Bend job fair

MOSES LAKE - More than a dozen companies in Grant County met with potential employees during Big Bend Community College's fall hiring event Wednesday.

Many job seekers were prepared to make an impression on the companies and came dressed in their best business attire and with resumes on hand.

Ken Russell, career placement coordinator for Big Bend, said about 25 employers participated in the hiring event. Most were looking for full-time employees, he said.

Russell said the fall hiring event originally started out as a venue for area employers to fill seasonal positions. However, he said employers in the area are starting to need more permanent employees.

"We changed it this year, for more full-time and permanent positions," Russell said. "There are some retailers, manufacturing and health care employers here."

Some of the employers present during the fair included Grant County PUD, Staples, Chinasoft and Frito Lay.

Russell said previous job fairs have brought as many as 800 job seekers to the college. He estimated that the fall event would bring a few hundred people as well.

Russell said his office works year round to help people find jobs. And their services are available to students and non-students as well.

"This is also for the community," he said. "We help with resumes, cover letters and interview techniques."

Job seeker Jessica Lara, of Othello, said she was happy with the variety of companies that were present during the job fair.

Lara will be attending Big Bend in the winter, and will pursue an accounting degree. She said she attended the hiring event because she wanted to get a head start on finding a job in her career field.

"I'm looking for anything that deals with accounting, auditing or book keeping," she said. She said she spent a lot of time at the Simplot booth during the job fair.

Lara said she hopes to find employment in the immediate area, so she can stay close to home.

Rachelle Stutsman, of J.R. Simplot, said the company regularly attends job fairs held at Big Bend. She said positions are always opening up at the company's plants in Moses Lake and Othello.

"Positions fluctuate, and we're always looking for folks to come in," she said.

Stutsman added Simplot likes to find qualified employees from the area's pool of job seekers, including Big Bend students.

"It's a good opportunity to find folks that are local, and looking to start a career," Stutsman said.