East Tennesseans are among the millions of Americans still searching for employment.
East Tennesseans are among the millions of Americans still searching for employment.
Vanessa Allen has been out of work since February. She attended a job
fair at the Tennessee National Guard Armory in Lenoir City Tuesday night
to apply for several jobs.
"I've applied for over 40 something positions involving customer
service; I've had three call backs," she said, referring to the several months without work.
"So, it has been very hard."
However, Allen remains optimistic and continues to work toward a career for herself, and to support her 7-year-old son.
She had confidence the job fair would lead to something new.
"There's a couple of them in there I'll hopefully hear back from, and
I know I've got to contact a few... for more information so,
hopefully!" she said.
The latest jobs report showed a slight drop in the national unemployment rate, down to 8.1 percent.
From June to July this year, the Knox County the unemployment rate remained at 6.7 percent.
At the Tennessee Career Center in Knoxville, managers continue to encourage job-seekers to stay diligent.
"We see about 26,000 visits a year," said Services Manager Ray Abbas. "That's many of the same folks, but you see new people every single day.
Abbas says those applicants represent all ages, education levels, and career backgrounds. Often the younger job seekers face strong competition.
Among members of the labor force aged 16 to 19 years old, 21.2 percent were unemployed last year in Knox County.
"In a tough economy, if you don't have lot of experience, it's very competitive," Abbas said.