Job seekers from all walks of life attend Indy job fair

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A three-hour job fair in downtown Indianapolis drew potential job candidates from all over the area.

"It's tougher than it used to be but many find us online and they know the value of a job fair," explained Peggy Hillman of National Career Fairs.

Trisha Wise is looking for administrative work while she finishes up her associates degree in criminal justice.

"It's been very difficult. I've been looking for a job since the end of February and 50 applications and 30 resumes later and not even a call back." said Wise.

The 30-year-old, single mother of two boys is working hard to make sure she stands out from the competition.

"My kids actually stay with my grandparents because I'm gone 16 hours a day. I'm hoping something like this would open something up so that I would be able to spend a little more time at home," said Wise.

The sponsor of Wednesday's event is a national company based out of Las Vegas. It recruits local companies to be part of the fair.

Indiana's unemployment rate stands at 9.7 percent. But job seekers are more than a statistic, they're hoping to land a job to put food on the table, pay bills and, one day, build a savings.

"We encourage them not to go in, just grab free pens and brochures but really talk to the recruiters because it's all about networking," said Hillman.

The next job fair sponsored by National Career Fairs and IndyHires is in May.