Local unemployed struggle to get into tight job market

Local unemployed struggle to get into tight job market

By ANN KEIL
6 News Reporter

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- The tight job market is making paying the bills hard for thousands of East Tennesseans who recently lost their jobs.

"I've been putting in applications daily, weekly. I've got three part-time jobs trying to make a full-time salary," Butch Bauer says.

Bauer spent Tuesday afternoon networking at the Jon News Job Fair, hoping to land a stable, full-time job.

"Even people with good skills, credentials and references have a hard time getting a job. Plus, no one is paying anything,"  Bauer says.

"It's been pretty difficult. It's a lot more challenging than I initially expected," says another job hunter, Aaron Mynattr. 

"I just came to check job listings to see if I could get hired ," says Hezekian Kehinde, a student looking for a part-time job.

"I'm about to be deployed to Iraq and then when I get back, I want to have something lined up," Gary Hughes says.

Most job seekers admit it isn't easy, especially if they need a job now and have a family to feed.

"My position ended last Friday and luckily, I heard about the job fair starting this week so I'm looking for something to support myself and my children," Jamie Allen says.

The company Allen worked for was bought and will move to Wisconsin. She stood in line at the job fair hoping at least for temp work, and there were many others behind her.

"I'm a survivor and I'm going to eat and keep a roof over my head and feed my dog," Bauer says.