More than 200 residents attend autumn job fair

Several hundred residents seeking employment attended Friday’s fall semi-annual job fair hoping to find the right position.

“We hope today is successful for you today,” said Natalie Parrish, executive director of the Fallon Chamber of Commerce, one of the co-sponsors of the job fair.

Parrish, who was pleased with the turnout and interaction between employers and applicants, said another job fair is planned for the spring.

Fallon Auto Mall and Right Away also co-sponsored the four-hour fair. Other employers at the fair include Churchill County, Small Business Development Center, Janess Business Center, Solomon’s Porch Counseling Center, Job Connect, Crystal Cleaners, Manpower, Mills Farm, Homestead, Banner Churchill Community Hospital, Stockman’s, the Nugget/Bonanza, Highland Manor, Fox Peak Cinema and the Churchill County School District

Parrish said 22 tables were set up for employers.

Most employers at the job fair had both current and future openings. For Mike Janess, owner of Janess Business Services, he had immediate openings for a graphic designer, office assistant or order/production assistant.

“We have 10 of us now, and this will bring it up to three in the next three months, “Janess said of his firm’s number of employees, which has expanded almost three-fold during the last several years.

“We have expanded considerably with most account being nationally based,” he said. “We also do marketing support for senior living industry.”

Both Highland Village and The Homestead had tables set up, interviewing people interested in the health field, recently named as one of the top three industries in the United States seeking employees.

“We have many different departments and positions, and we are always recruiting them for our residents,” said Jeff Perthel, manager of Assisted Living. “We need nursing and CNSs (certified nursing assistants) within those areas.”

Perthel added Highland offers upward mobility and training and works with Job Connect to help build employees’ skills.

At last year’s November fair, Perthel said Highland hired fie job seekers for the Assisted Living section.

Lori Norcutt of the Churchill County School District Human Resources Department said hiring for the schools has become a very competitive endeavor among school districts.

“We have a lot of regular teacher positions in elementary and special education and need substitutes in a bad way,” Norcutt said.

According to Norcutt, on certain days CCSD doesn’t have enough substitutes to cover for the absent teacher.

The school district also needs substitute food service workers and bus drivers, substitute teacher aides and duty assistants.

Norcutt said surrounding school districts — such as Lyon County — are offering sign-up bonuses ranging upward to $5,000.

Representatives from the Petra Corporation talked to prospective employees about account manager trainees. Individuals would attend a one-year training program and learn the fundamentals of property and casualty insurance.

The job fair attracted many people who were either looking for part-time, full-time or additional work.

David Peden, who is retired from the State of Nevada and U.S. Coast Guard, was looking for part-time evening employment.

“I’m looking for a little more and also something to do in the summer,” he said.

Pinky Whitaker said she is looking for hands-on employment and has an interest in healthcare and education.

A woman identifying herself only by her first name was impressed with the job fair.

“This is great to see what is available here,” said Linda, who recently moved to Fallon.

She hopes to transfer her skills to health care. Linda recently retired in the San Francisco Bay Area and moved to Nevada.

Her son, Danny, graduated from Santa Clara University in the South Bay.

“I’m ideally looking for something in IT software,” he said.