Over 600 show up for Saturday/Monday job fairs at Potawatomi

MILWAUKEE -- Potawatomi Bingo Casino is looking to hire about 100 food service workers, and held a job fair Monday, April 2nd. For some, it was an opportunity to receive a job offer, on the spot, and renewed hope after a frustrating job search.

Hundreds showed up for Monday's Potawatomi Bingo Casino job fair, and there were long lines on the sidewalk. Security worked the lines, making sure all the potential applicants had what was needed to get in. Once approved, applicants like Shakilya Wright waited for an interview, hoping for the best. "You apply online so many times and get the same email back saying 'we've found a different candidate.' It can be stressful, but I don't give up. I keep looking," Wright said.

Between job fairs Saturday, March 31st and Monday's fair, Wright is among over 600 people to apply at the casino. With those odds, Wright said she knows she needed to stand out. "I went to interview classes, resume-building classes to see, am I doing something wrong? Or what is it I need to improve on?" Wright said.

While Wright waited to interview for a hostess position, Renfred Cherry made his pitch for a bartending or serving job. "It's very frustrating to be out of work when you're used to having your money on a weekly basis, and having security, and to have that security swept out from under you, it's pretty hard to recover," Cherry said.

Potawatomi is looking for a range of restaurant workers, from managers to dishwashers. "The food and beverage department, year over year, just keeps getting bigger and bigger, and we just keep getting more business, so we're really just looking for positions we need for this property today," Potawatomi Beverage Operations Manager Christian D'Amiano said.

The chance for first and second interviews, along with a possible job offer is enough to pack just about any job fair.

Although Potawatomi made job offers during the fairs, no one was officially hired on the spot. First, they must clear a background check and pass a drug test. Starting with the application, the whole process can take six to eight weeks.