NORFOLK–The part-time job fair took place at Northeast Community College on Aug. 27 from 3-5 p.m. in the Lifelong Learning Center. The job fair gave students an opportunity to meet with businesses around Norfolk and explore new job ideas, pick up applications and talk with employers. The businesses that were present ranged from clothing stores to fast-food restaurants to in-home care and almost anything in between.   

Employers are looking for a wide variety of things when it comes to hiring college students to work for them. The most common quality that jobs are looking for, specifically in clothing stores such as the Buckle and JCPenney’s, is that the individual is outgoing and is able to approach anybody. The reason for this is so that customers can feel welcomed into the store and they can easily be assisted while they are shopping. These businesses are looking for students who smile during every conversation and can help present a good positive energy to their customers. A representative from Buckle had said that she always tells her employees that they should act like the customer is their boss. With working in retail the employee has to cater to what the shopper is looking for. 

A very important trait for being an employee anywhere is that they need to be reliable. Every business is going to expect their employees to be on time and ready to work when they are scheduled. Fast food restaurant workers rely heavily on when the next person is coming in to work to take over a position. This is the reason Northeast implements a strong attendance policy to their students so that they are prepared for their expectations in the work field.  

Along with clothing stores, in-home care businesses are looking for someone who is super warm and inviting, since the employee is assisting patients in their home. These types of employers also prefer people studying in the field, such as a nursing student for example. Some clothing stores prefer when applicants have a good fashion sense and are interested in the fashion business. This also gives students lots of extra experience that will aid their future careers down the road. Working facilities like these also prefer individuals to have a flexible schedule that is easy to work with.  

Both employees and employers appreciate a coworker who is nice and can get along with everyone. Employees at Jimmy Johns said that work is like a home away from home, it feels like a family. It is important that new employees can fit perfectly in with the current crew members because they are going to be spending lots of time working together.