Raymond Elkins owns a AAA towing shop in Springfield, and last week came to a job fair at Stratford University at Potomac Mills.
Heâs looking for 10 people who can not only change a battery and help stranded motorists, but also for someone who can deliver customer service with a smile.
Lately, heâs gotten some unexpected applicants.
âIâve had lawyers come up to me and say âIâll drive a truck⊠I do anything it takes to get into your line of work if it means having a job,ââ said Elkins. Thankfully for the out of work lawyers, Elkins says heâs willing to give anyone a chance if they are willing to be trained.
At the universityâs job fair last week, there seemed to be just as many people cramming the elevator to reach the potential employers on the schoolâs third floor as there were cars parked in overflow lots outside the campus.
Potential employers ranged from the U.S. Department of Corrections, cell phone companies, insurance agencies, even a menâs tailoring business. Applicants say itâs better to come here and speak with a real person rather than just applying online.
Unlike many who have been unemployed for longer, Kyndra Settle, 34, of Stafford, has been looking for a job for about a month. She got sick three months ago and by the time she recovered her then employerâs contract with the U.S. Department of Education ran out.
Sheâs hoping her experience as a property manager will help land her a new job.
âIt can be tough out here, but coming to these job fairs allows me to show someone who I am. Thatâs better than getting the simple âapply onlineâ response that some companies give,â said Settle.
While the national unemployment levels continue to rise, now over 9 percent, the Potomac Communities continue to buck the national unemployment trend.
As for April, Arlington County has the lowest unemployment rate at 3.4 percent. Prince William and Stafford counties show a 4.9 percent rate, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics.
Statewide, Virginiaâs 6 percent unemployment rate is below Marylandâs 6.8 percent and Washington, D.C.âs 9.8 percent rating.
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