Amid job cuts, companies still hiring in eastern Idaho

As a series of local call centers close shop, and lay off dozens of employees, there are still companies looking for eastern Idaho workers.

“I go out every day, and look for a job,” said Jennifer Marston, who is currently looking for work.

Marston is no stranger to the struggle many Americans are facing.

“Our top priority has to be jobs and growth,” said President Obama at a press briefing on Wednesday morning.

Marston said she hopes job growth comes.

“Almost everybody I know is looking for a job right now,” she said.

Marston is newly unemployed. She lost her job at the Mountain West Research call center last Thursday.

“If I would have known we weren’t going to have a job I would have worked harder to find another job,” she said.

She’s feeling the pressure. With three kids at home, she needs something fast. On Wednesday in Idaho Falls, she has a reason to be hopeful.

“I just heard about it and I thought, ‘Oh I better apply.””

The Love’s chain of travel centers hosted a job fair at the Department of Labor on Wednesday. They have about 30 jobs to fill at a new Idaho Falls center. District manager Shawn Baker said there are jobs out there, but the trouble can be finding them.

“A lot of times I think their frustration level is because they don’t know where to look,” said Baker.

President Obama this morning echoed the idea jobs are indeed available.

“What we’ve seen now is 32 consecutive months of job growth, and over 5.5 million jobs created, and the unemployment rate coming down,” said Obama.

Baker said it can keep coming down. But applicants should remember one interview strategy above all.

“Answer honestly,” said Baker. “It’s easy to tell who’s just giving you the answers you want to hear.”

The company’s job fair continues on Thursday, November 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Idaho Department of Labor office on Lincoln Road in Idaho Falls.