A daylong regional job fair for the cable company Comcast in Southfield drew more than 1,800 job seekers from southeastern Michigan on Tuesday.
The large turnout was a testament to the tough job market in metro Detroit, , which had an unemployment rate of 6.8% in March; the rate nationwide was 4.7 %.
As early as 8 a.m., hundreds of job seekers wearing suits and ties and with children in hand, began lining up to register for interviews. Cars spilled from the Holiday Inn's 500-spot parking lot into open areas at nearby businesses, churches and gas stations.
A line -- hundreds deep -- snaked around the hotel in front of guest rooms and vending machines. About 40 Comcast recruiters interviewed candidates inside conference rooms for jobs at the company's expanding call center in Sterling Heights and at facilities in Plymouth and Ann Arbor. Comcast plans to hire 3,000 people in the next two years.
Here are some of the stories job seekers told Tuesday:
Richard McMillion, 41, of Detroit, is close to completing his 1-year anniversary as a free man after spending 19 years in prison. He hasn't been able to find a job that pays more than $8 an hour, and his family helps support him. He currently lives with his aunt and uncle.
"My big story is that I'm a parolee," McMillion said. Since he's been out of prison, he has been laid off from a temp company that serviced Chrysler, General Motors and Ford. "I expected it to be tough, but not this tough," he said looking at a sea of people in front of and behind him. "My family helps me out a lot."
McMillion received a paralegal certificate in prison but has been unable to get a job in that field because of his conviction. "I'm just trying to present myself the best that I can."
Tracey Roy, 37, of Detroit, was laid off from a company that conducted business with auto suppliers. It was the third job in a year for the mother of three. She worked for 9 1/2 years at Ryder Logistics in Highland Park. Her most recent job lasted from July to February, and before that, she was a temp.
"I've been looking out of state," said Roy, who took business classes during two years of college. "I pray a lot. I'll do anything. I just need a job."
Donita Williams, 32, of Detroit held up her resume and pointed to two jobs with companies that have disappeared: Alkin Zeigler in Livonia and Kelsey Hayes in New Hudson.
She also was laid off from jobs with Johnson Control in 1995 in Plymouth and NYX in Westland at the beginning of 2006. She is angry, and she blames President George W. Bush.
"I've been looking for a job since Bush got into office," she said. "I need a permanent, good job. I need overtime."
Angel Coleman was in the Army for eight years and has been trying to find a steady job in her native Detroit after having twins. Her girls' father is deployed overseas with the Army.
She worked as a network technician at Ford's headquarters through a contractor, but lost her job in February after her company lost its contract to a lower bidder. She now sends out about 15 resumes a day from her home computer.
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