Job fairs can put prospective employees face-to-face with potential employers, help job seekers find valuable information about a company or career or help them develop a network of contacts.

They can also be a frustrating experience, with job seekers trying to stand out among the crowd, sifting out the companies that are hiring from the lookie-loos.

Kathy Masera, publisher of the California Job Journal, said job events can be an important part of an wider job-search strategy.

Masera began the publication's HIREvent job fairs in 1992.

The California Job Journal (jobjournal.com) hosts its annual Business & Career Expo from noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 13 at Masonic Temple, 1123 J St., Sacramento.

Masera said the possibilities for job seekers to network, build contacts, amass information and get noticed by employers are among the event's biggest benefits.

"The positive is that you can go into the room and visit 10, 20, 30 companies and put a face and a name to who the company is. It's an avenue where you can actually meet someone face-to-face," she said. "You need to use it as a networking opportunity."

Masera said that as a job seeker, you can take advantage of the face time by telling employers what you are seeking and asking specific questions that show your interest in the company.

"Tell them what you are looking for. Ask questions such as, 'How would I learn about jobs in your company? What are your policies and processes?' " she said. "Eighty percent of jobs are never advertised, so you have the opportunity to meet and learn about jobs in a company."

But job fairs are only one part of the job search formula, Masera said. That is where frustration can set in for job seekers, she said.

"There are job fairs people don't get jobs from – it's only a part of the picture," she said. "Looking for work is hard work. You have to look at the Internet and trade sites, check temporary agencies. You have to use every possible resource that you can."

Seasonal jobs available

The holiday shopping season officially kicked off with Black Friday, but at Westfield Galleria at Roseville there are still retail opportunities for job seekers looking for seasonal work, said Westfield spokeswoman Stephanie Ringey.

"It's never too late, especially for seasonal employees," Ringey said.

Dozens of stores lost to the October 2010 arson fire that devastated some 120,000 square feet of the 1.3 million-square-foot shopping mall have reopened, Ringey said, and retailers expect a busier season this year.

"They're hiring both for demand and because they're building their business," she said.

Ringey said applicants can visit Westfield Galleria at Roseville's website, www.westfield.com/galleriaat roseville, then select "services." Or visit Westfield Concierge in the Grand Court for information.

Job-hunting questions?

Ask Terri Carpenter, one of our "Ask the Experts" writers, who can answer your career questions online.

A jobs expert at the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency, Carpenter has expertise in résumé writing, job-skills training and career counseling.

To post your question or to view her advice to other job seekers, go to www.sacbee.com/ask.

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Call The Bee's Darrell Smith, (916) 321-1040.

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