When Tulie Ceriser heard about an upcoming job fair, she expected a big turnout. To beat the crowd, she arrived at the Evanston Public Library at 7:45 a.m. Thursday - more than two hours before the Youth Job Center of Evanston's Spring Job Fair actually began.
"I thought that most of the students at my school would have been here," said the 16-year-old Evanston Township High School student.
Seeing no employers, Ceriser went home and returned about an hour later. She ended up as one of more than 200 people looking for employment from the 14 businesses at the fair, including AJ Wright, Gap, UPS, and the Glenview Park District.
Most years, 35 to 40 percent of the fair's attendees find employment, said Sacella Smith, executive director of the Youth Job Center of Evanston.
Ceriser said she hoped that by preparing well she could find a job at the fair.
"I bought an outfit (Wednesday) so I could look nice," she said. "You have to dress nicely, smile, talk to them politely instead of using slang words, or like 'hey, what's up.'"
Politeness and courtesy are two of the things Laila Bashia, Glenview Park District Human Resources Manager, said she looks for in potential employees.
"I didn't know what to expect and I was a little apprehensive that we wouldn't see quality candidates," she said. "But I have to say, that the applicants have been better than my expectations."
She said she was impressed by the people who arrived early.
"At the start of the job fair, at 10 o'clock, there were probably 75 or more people waiting to enter right at the start of the job fair," she said. "So I make a judgment that they're going to be timely and that they are truly interested in working."
Some employers said they attended the fair to appeal to the job-seekers. Mather LifeWays, a senior living facility, tries to send a representative each year and usually hires at least one person from the fair, said Human Resources Manager Mary Fitzgerald.
"We try to connect with all the applicants," she said. "We try to make every applicant feel like they have a chance."
Second-time attendee Lawson Christopher, 21, said he was confident he could find a job at the fair.
"It happened last time, it can happen again," he said. "I make myself stand out."
d-molina@northwestern.edu
2008 Woodie Awards
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