DEARBORN — About 1,000 people came out to ACCESS’ (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services) Holiday 2008 Job Fair on Wednesday, Oct. 15 to apply for employment with over 40 companies.

Space was tight and competition was fierce for ACCESS’ third job fair of the year, with people lining up outside the organization’s offices in Dearborn as early 7 a.m. to talk to employers.

The ACCESS 2008 Job Fair at the ACCESS office in Dearborn brought in a diverse crowd of about 1,000 people seeking employment.

The fair was attended by a diverse group of applicants and job opportunities ranged from stable positions with well-known companies like Kroger and Comcast Cable to jobs like temporary seasonal work with FedEx and a chance to go to Iraq to become an Arabic linguist with Global Linguist Solutions, a company who works in conjunction with the U.S. Army.
ACCESS operations manager Najwa Hadous talked about the services the organization’s job fairs provide to the local community.

“We’re first come, first served and open to everyone,” she said. “That’s why it’s so special, it’s because we’re really diverse.

“We only bring in companies who are hiring people,” she said. “A lot of job seekers come here with the hope they’re going to find a job. Most companies here have five to six job openings.”

Nahar Assayegh, 24, was one among the job seekers. He enjoyed the fair but was also a bit disappointed that the large crowds took away from his opportunities to pitch himself to employers.

“It’s real nice but I expected it to be less crowded and to have more time to talk to employers,” he said. “I’ve been in real estate for 10 years and it’s been really tough. When you’re here you need a little more time to get all of the proper information you need.”

Hadous acknowledges that the job market has been tough but gave some tips for people looking to find employment in these hard times.

“What’s important is for people to stay focused on long-term goals in this economy,” she said. “They should try and focus on education and knowledge for the future.”

She also urged people to take advantage of ACCESS’ employment services. ACCESS offers services such as employment placement, as when they helped the new Wal-Mart in Dearborn hire workers, as well classes for English as a second language for free.

People who speak primarily Arabic can also register for a service that helps them find employment and includes an assistant to help them get acclimated to the daily responsibilities, rules, and regulations at their new job.

Mahmood Yahya, right, fills out a sign up sheet at the ACCESS job fair on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008. At left is Comcast recruiter Mouad Shohatee, who was looking for bilingual phone operators.

ACCESS works closely with employers to make sure that each job placement is a good fit for the applicant.
“It’s a little tougher for people who don’t speak English, but we help set up special jobs and provide training to allow them to feel more comfortable,” said Hadous.

Of course, finding a job for anyone in today’s economy is already an extremely difficult proposition. Near the end of Wednesday’s job fair, 117 people had signed up to work for FedEx, even though the job they offered was temporary holiday employment for the company as FedEx’s workload doubles in December.

But the job seekers on hand took solace in the fact that ACCESS is doing everything in their power to help them find work in these trying times.

The next ACCESS job fair will take place in March, most likely during the second week of the month.