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Job fair targets workers over 40

Attendee is pleased to see wide range of employers recruiting at Akron event

By Paula Schleis
Beacon Journal business writer

A recent study by the AARP said one in three retirees wants or needs to work.

That might have been one reason for the long registration line at the 19th Senior Employment Center Mature Workers' Job Fair on Tuesday at the Tangier restaurant in Akron. Organizers said they were braced for 1,600 people to attend an event that has been averaging about 1,200.

John Smith of Hartville fit both the ''wants'' and ''needs'' categories. The 68-year-old retired Windham schools educator has been looking for another job for a couple of years.

''I want something to do and I need to get back out there,'' he said.

Smith said he was surprised at the wide range of opportunities at the fair and pleased to see so many employers valuing older workers.

''I think companies are extending themselves to take advantage of some of the talents that are still out there,'' he said.

The job fair targeted people age 40 and up. Some 50 companies were on hand to accept resumes, pass out job application forms and enlighten attendees about job opportunities they might not have thought of.

John Buzzard of Thomas Limousine of Akron said he's hired many people through the
Senior Employment Center before.

''With mature people, we can trust them more, if you will,'' he said. ''They're on time, they're not calling off work. They want to be here, they want to do work. Younger people, not so much.''

Yet many visitors to his booth admit they had never thought of being a chauffeur, he said.

''When I tell them about it, they say, 'Oh, I could do that. I used to drive a truck,' or 'I used to deliver parts.' And they say, 'This looks like fun,' and it is,'' Buzzard said.

Representing office equipment distributor ComDoc, Patti Auber was passing out information about full-time openings at its Cuyahoga Falls distribution center. The Green-based employee-owned company has about 670 employees across several states.

Auber said she needs people with electromechanical skills, computer skills and customer-service experience, and a fair geared toward people who already have many years in the work force improves her odds for finding them.

''A lot of people are making job changes now, whether it's voluntarily or involuntarily, and we just benefit from that,'' she said. ''We get people with really good experience who are able to hit the ground running.''

Don Zirkle, who runs the Senior Employment Center's Job Club, said the fair is an opportunity for him to recruit people for the free program.

The Job Club offers a a three-week course for unemployed older workers on writing resumes, filling out applications, composing cover letters, researching companies at the library and the interview process.

On Tuesday, his team was offering on-the-spot resume critiques.

''A lot of people think all you do is give your work experience, . . . but you need to find out what the company needs and explain what experiences you have that relates to those needs,'' Zirkle said.

Paula Suveges of Cuyahoga Falls said she's looking for a boss for the first time in a decade. After being laid off due to downsizing in the 1990s, she and her husband established their own property-management company.

But a depressed housing market has contributed to her desire for regular work, she said. That, and the fact that she misses the social part of working in an office with other people.

''I miss the atmosphere of going to a job and being around other people,'' she said.

For more information on the Senior Employment Center, call 330-762-8666. To learn about the Job Club, ask for Zirkle at Ext. 174 or 135.


Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com.

A recent study by the AARP said one in three retirees wants or needs to work.

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DavidT
m, m

Posted 10:39 AM, 09/17/2008

40 and over! truth that the 'senior years' just keep getting younger and younger ;)


ghunt1971

Posted 11:43 AM, 09/17/2008

I can see why people are forced to work longer in life and why the retirement age is growing higher. The economy is the real issue of this election. Hey, the Bush-McCain economy just lost $700 billion in retirement plans. It's another reason why we need active and competent regulations for Wall Street. None of this matters for people like McCain who own 12 houses, but normal Americans are trying to rely on retirement plans when they grow old. With McCain's proposed cutbacks to Social Security, our retirement programs are even more important. It also brings us back to McCain's radical plan to send our Social Security money to Wall Street. Yes, the same Wall Street who just lost $700 billion yesterday. Imagine the consequences of an unchecked market controlling our Social Security money, because McCain has been against regulations for 26 years in Washington. Twenty six years of protecting Wall Street. That's the real McCain.


Loren Eberly
Orrville, Oh

Posted 03:54 PM, 09/17/2008

Volunteers without wages, nonunion workers willing to work for fewer wages than they can afford life, and low income Workers over 40 need jobs to eliminate need. To scam Fathers disqualified for affirmative action with white skin, Union workers, consumers, taxpayers, and Americas grandchildren, low-income workers, volunteers without wages, and nonunion parasites willing to work for fewer wages than they can afford life. To fund them paying for the more stock dividends (money). OPEC nations and Enron stockholders, Investors and stockholders in the Illegal Drug Business, Business owners stockholders, Financial Institutions investors and stockholders, Bulls on Wall Street, Hillarys, Wal-Mart stockholders, and foreign and domestic investors (money marketers) market quarterly. In the wholesale and retail price of every product and service Human Beings use for life. That gets only product or service. To measure and maintain the strength and growth of this unaffordable economy and prove that only money that can only be used to identify agreed value of sellers and buyers in the marketplace has value? Pay sales tax on the more stock dividends (money) investors and stockholders market quarterly in the wholesale and retail price of every product and service Human Beings use for life, and pay for meth with welfare checks. Pay for the more stock dividends (money) Hillarys (money marketers) market quarterly in the wholesale and retail price of food with food stamps. Pay property tax and interest on lottery winner’s winnings legislators invest in school bonds with housing vouchers. Pay for the more stock dividends (money) Hillarys (money marketers) market quarterly in the wholesale and retail price of prescription drugs and health care with Medicaid. With money derived from wages or independent business profit. Http://www.loreneberly.com


Loren Eberly
Orrville, Oh

Posted 04:47 PM, 09/17/2008

Volunteers without wages, nonunion workers willing to work for fewer wages than they can afford life, and low income Workers over 40 need jobs to eliminate need. To scam Fathers disqualified for affirmative action with white skin, Union workers, consumers, taxpayers, and Americas grandchildren, low-income workers, volunteers without wages, and nonunion parasites willing to work for fewer wages than they can afford life. To fund them paying for the more stock dividends (money). OPEC nations and Enron stockholders, Investors and stockholders in the Illegal Drug Business, Business owners stockholders, Financial Institutions investors and stockholders, Bulls on Wall Street, Hillarys, Wal-Mart stockholders, and foreign and domestic investors (money marketers) market quarterly. In the wholesale and retail price of every product and service Human Beings use for life. That gets only product or service. To measure and maintain the strength and growth of this unaffordable economy and prove that only money that can only be used to identify agreed value of sellers and buyers in the marketplace has value? Pay sales tax on the more stock dividends (money) investors and stockholders market quarterly in the wholesale and retail price of every product and service Human Beings use for life, and pay for meth with welfare checks. Pay for the more stock dividends (money) Hillarys (money marketers) market quarterly in the wholesale and retail price of food with food stamps. Pay property tax and interest on lottery winner’s winnings legislators invest in school bonds with housing vouchers. Pay for the more stock dividends (money) Hillarys (money marketers) market quarterly in the wholesale and retail price of prescription drugs and health care with Medicaid. With money derived from wages or independent business profit. Http://www.loreneberly.com


Loren Eberly
Orrville, Oh

Posted 04:59 PM, 09/17/2008

Volunteers without wages, nonunion workers willing to work for fewer wages than they can afford life, and low income Workers over 40 need jobs to eliminate need. To scam Fathers disqualified for affirmative action with white skin, Union workers, consumers, taxpayers, and Americas grandchildren, low-income workers, volunteers without wages, and nonunion parasites willing to work for fewer wages than they can afford life. To fund them paying for the more stock dividends (money). OPEC nations and Enron stockholders, Investors and stockholders in the Illegal Drug Business, Business owners stockholders, Financial Institutions investors and stockholders, Bulls on Wall Street, Hillarys, Wal-Mart stockholders, and foreign and domestic investors (money marketers) market quarterly. In the wholesale and retail price of every product and service Human Beings use for life. That gets only product or service. To measure and maintain the strength and growth of this unaffordable economy and prove that only money that can only be used to identify agreed value of sellers and buyers in the marketplace has value? Pay sales tax on the more stock dividends (money) investors and stockholders market quarterly in the wholesale and retail price of every product and service Human Beings use for life, and pay for meth with welfare checks. Pay for the more stock dividends (money) Hillarys (money marketers) market quarterly in the wholesale and retail price of food with food stamps. Pay property tax and interest on lottery winner’s winnings legislators invest in school bonds with housing vouchers. Pay for the more stock dividends (money) Hillarys (money marketers) market quarterly in the wholesale and retail price of prescription drugs and health care with Medicaid. With money derived from wages or independent business profit.
















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