PANAMA CITY BEACH — With the onslaught of Spring Break and the busy summer tourist season rapidly approaching, businesses across Bay County are working to beef up staff to help handle the crowds.
Following a dismal report on Bay County’s job employment last month, local workforce officials pointed to the area’s extreme seasonality as the culprit.
“Seasonality certainly impacts our level of unemployment,” said Kim Bodine, executive director of CareerSource Gulf Coast. “Soon our tourism industry will be ramping up for North Florida’s season, and we will see a decrease in the unemployment rate.”
That ramp up is now in full swing as local hospitality employers begin the process to put hundreds of residents back to work after the slow winter season.
“Hiring is definitely up. ... It’s a good sign,” said Bodine, adding that CareerSource is sponsoring several upcoming job fairs to help employers fill positions. “There are seasons, like now, where it really heats up.”
In addition to job fairs scheduled both Friday and Monday, CareerSource Gulf Coast also is partnering with Goodwill Industries of the Big Bend to host the second annual Hospitality Job Fair at the Gulf Coast State College Student Union East Conference Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday.
The fair will bring together 35 employers from the hospitality industry, including several local hotels, resorts, restaurants, amusements and retail stores.
Goodwill hospitality trainer Annette Jones said the fair will offer job seekers “the big box store of job fairs,” providing the opportunity to speak with dozens of potential employers at one location.
She suggested job seekers come early, come prepared with a resume if possible and also be sure to look the part.
“The thing that most people don’t realize is that they are coming to a place where they’ll be interviewed on the spot,” Jones said. “They really need to dress to impress. ... Some employers are going to hire on the spot, some are going to take applications and call back, and a lot of that callback is based on how you present yourself that day.”
Jones said she was blown away by the number of employers interested in participating in the fair, nearly double the amount that turned out last year.
“A lot of what it tells me is that employers are looking for a very specific person,” she said. “They’re not just looking for warm bodies; they’re looking for people that want to come and put out the effort — dress the part.”
Upcoming job fairs
- Friday: Hiring Expo, CareerSource Gulf Coast Job Center, for a local hardware store, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Monday: Job Fair for various positions, CareerSource Gulf Coast Job Center, 9 a.m. - noon
- Tuesday: Hospitality Job Fair, Gulf Coast State College’s Student Union East Conference Center, 9 a.m.- 1 p.m.
- Feb. 27: 28th Annual Bay County Job Fair, Haney Technical Center, 9 a.m.- 1 p.m.
