TIFTON — Quality Employment, an employment agency, held a career fair to help Tifton and Tift County residents find employers and businesses find employees.

The event recently welcomed businesses from throughout Tift County to gather at the Tift County Recreation Department gym to showcase their services and meet with people interested in finding employment.

“Seeing all of the challenges right now that businesses are facing,” Amanda Brack, business development consultant for Quality Employment, said. “With hiring and finding stuff that they need … we’re included in that, and we just wanted to try to do something to help with that, to make that balance.”

Brack said Quality Employment reached out to businesses and employers to inquire about their participation, and from there, the news spread throughout the community.

More than 35 businesses participated, ranging from local businesses such as Creative Living to larger companies like Turner’s Fine Furniture and governmental organizations like the Georgia Department of Transportation.

“I think this job fair has been really great for our community,” said Keri Rowe, a representative of the Georgia Department of Transportation. “I was very thankful to be given an invite, because there’s not a lot of these in our area, I don’t think, that I’ve heard of, so I think it’s actually a great idea. I’m really appreciative that Quality Employment has put this on for us, so hopefully, we can help out people in the community to find jobs.”

Employers met an equally large turnout of interested applicants seeking employment. Brack reported 30 people walked into the fair as soon as it opened.

“I was waiting for something like this to happen. Not every time you fill out an application or go to a job, you get the job; you actually have to take the time,” said Marcus Hicks, an attendee of the fair hired by Turner’s. “Me personally, I feel like you have to take the time to get to know the person, see where their mindset is at, see the kind of person they are before you make a decision to not hire them or hire them, so coming here has been good for me today.”

Hicks wasn’t alone in being hired at the event; many businesses hiring new employees, received several applications or were expected to hear from potential applicants within the coming days. A special area of the gymnasium was decorated for use in photo-ops for any businesses or new employees to celebrate.

“It’s been successful,” Brack said. “It’s a lot of work but it’s been successful.”

After seeing the success of this fair, Brack expressed an interest in holding another one but was unsure when it would be held. Many of the businesses and applicants in attendance also reported they would be interested in attending another job fair.