If misery loves company, so does optimism. There was a blend of both at a job fair in Suisun City.
"It hurts because this is the first time since high school that I have been out of a job," job seeker Ken Parker said.
"Anything they need, I'm open," job seeker Susan Korcz said.
Korcz used to work in a law firm and Parker was laid off after 30 years in maintenance at Xerox. They joined hundreds of other hopefuls at a job fair co-sponsored by ABC7 and the California Job Journal.
"It's a lot of time, effort, determination," Korcz said.
"Every time I turn on the news I get more and more discouraged," Parker said.
The job seekers at the fair said the economy is in Solano County is depressing. As of now, the unemployment rate in Solano County is 11.9 percent.
Some of the companies at the fair were looking to hire immediately in customer service, administrative assistance, finance, logistics, management and sales.
A few blocks away, the Meyer Corporation which distributes kitchenware had 20 openings and a long line of applicants.
"There is no shortage of people, these days, but we want to be a good neighbor, and we know there are many qualified people in our community," Meyer employee Tina Manriquez said.
So in Solano County, one can look at the job picture as a bottle half empty or half full and we already know which of the two feels better.
"The opportunities are there. I just need to call and set up the interviews," Korcz said.
The next job fair sponsored by ABC7 will be on Tuesday March 9 at the Expo Center in San Mateo.
