A bigger-than-expected turnout marked the Career Services Center’s Fall Job Fair on Tuesday.

More than 25 employers from places such as Target and the Los Angeles Police Department set up tables along the library sidewalk in order to meet with a steady stream of job seekers from Cerritos College and the general public.

The free event, which ran from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., was coordinated by Student Placement Specialist Christina The.

“The fair went very well,” she said. “We had a lot more people (than previous fairs) who came to attend.” She placed the number of job seekers at “roughly over 500,” with a larger amount of non-students than before.

The added that local television news stations covered the fair for the first time in the event’s history. She also believes that live reporting by Fox 11 helped inform the public about the job fair.

“I understand it brought someone from Riverside,” she said.

Univision also covered the fair for a later broadcast.

Aya Abelon, the college’s Coordinator of Media Releases was in charge of alerting the public about the job fair.

“We’ve never had this much turnout,” Abelon confirmed. “It’s just a reflection of the times.”

For many attending the fair, finding work has indeed been difficult.

“It’s been awful,” said court reporting major Tehani Kaalekahi. “I’ve been unemployed for over a year. I’ve gotten interviews for 2 percent of all the applications I’ve filled out.”

Of those interviews, she said, they either required her to “drive 20 miles” as a commute or “take a 20 percent pay cut.”

“I have an associates in Business and a bachelor’s in Justice Administration and this is what I get?” Kaalekahi asked.

Lakewood resident Michael Quinn’s frustration was similar.

“I was laid off back in February from Macy’s,” he said. “I was involved with Operations and Logistics. Of the 7,500 (employees that were laid off at that time), 7,200 of them were in my beat.”

Quinn said that for the jobs he has applied to, he has either been “under-qualified or over-qualified.” Since then, he has been doing “general carpentry work and painting.”

“It’s hard to accept a job with a 50 percent pay cut,” he admitted.

Electrical engineer Rafael Arevalo said, “I’ve been looking for a job for a month. It’s pretty hard out there. I do side jobs, but I’m basically unemployed.”

“I got laid off,” he said while filling out an application.

“Things were going pretty good until production slowed down. I have 10 years electrical experience. I’m certified and everything.”

Arevalo was able to connect with one of the employers at the fair- Weber Metals Incorporated. “The position is in their electrical maintenance department. I like it because it’s hands on,” he said.

Child Development major Robert Aguirre, a student new to the job market, has also had a difficult time trying to gain employment. “I’ve been doing volunteer work but now I’m looking for a real job.”

“Yeah it’s been hard,” he said. “Employers never call back.”

Despite his setbacks, Aguirre said he was interested in a number of the businesses present at the fair.

“I’ve been filling out applications for audio and entertainment technology, Target, and (a) manufacturing (company).”

At least one person left from the Job Fair disappointed. Earl Shell, a computer technician from Lakewood said there were “no specific jobs” in his field there.

Still he admitted, “There are a lot of people looking for work so this helps. It’s a good thing.”

The employers themselves were busy throughout the day, speaking to students and non-students alike about the opportunities they offered.

Crista Bell of the Signal Hill Police Department was looking to fill “two open positions for police officer.”

“It’s been good,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of applicants.”

Aregnaz Mooradian and Johnny Sanchez represented THINK Together, “the largest after-school program provider in California.”

“We look for students who are looking for a career in education or child care,” Mooradian said. “We attend several job fairs. We serve the surrounding communities, so we’ve been here several times.”

Another returning employer was Norm Reeves Honda, who offered several positions in customer service, technicians and sales.

“We feel good; we like coming here,” said interviewer Maria Olivares. “The company has been here numerous times.”

The said the interviewers “were very pleased” with the experience, although she noted that some felt Cerritos students were not prepared enough for the fair. “It’s always a good thing to dress professionally and be ready to meet with employers,” she said.

The Career Services Center offers several free workshops before each of their job events that help the public with interviewing and writing resumes.

The also stressed how fortunate Career Services felt in finding so many businesses that were hiring.

The said the next similar event, the spring Career Expo, “is slated for March 25 of 2010.”

“I think it’s a good service (for Cerritos College) to provide,” Quinn said before heading out to the different tables. “Job fairs are the best way to meet face-to-face with many interviewers.”