Job seekers arrived early and often for the two-hour hiring event, which started at 10 a.m. and was staged inside the mall near the movie theaters.
About 15 people gathered at 8:45 a.m., and an hour later, the crowd had grown to 30 people, mall spokeswoman Jennifer Johnson said. Once the event was under way, people poured into the mall, lining up to receive information before being called to participate in group interviews.
By 10:17 a.m., 264 people were seated or standing, waiting for their number to be called. By the time it was over, 421 people had shown up, Johnson said.
Although many said they were unemployed and needed to find work, some said they were applying for a job with REI because of the company’s reputation. REI, which has its headquarters in Kent, has been recognized as one of the top employers in the country by Fortune Magazine, according to information on the REI website.
It is that kind of recognition that partly attracted Tamra Owens, 52, of Lakewood. Owens, who recently moved to Lakewood from Renton, said she has been looking for work since May.
“They have a great reputation, and I want to work for a company that I believe in,” she said.
REI representatives wouldn’t say what the jobs will pay.
Because of the slower economy, there’s a lot of competition for open positions, and Owens said she was amazed at the number of people who had shown up. She also said Olympia is the farthest south she has come to search for work.
Chris Petrie, 25, of Olympia said he was applying to REI because he’s considering a career change after being laid off twice in the criminal justice field. He has been out of work for a month and has experience in the retail industry, he said. During his one-month job search, he has received one call back from a prospective employer, Petrie added.
Some who lose their jobs waste no time in trying to find a new one.
Michael Mauch, 61, of Puyallup lost his job Friday after spending nearly four years working for a parts supplier to Boeing. He attended a job fair the following day, and he was at the mall Thursday, saying he wanted to be part of a “top” company. Mauch said he has the experience to work for REI because he is a longtime outdoorsman and used to be a corporate trainer, someone who understands the value of good customer service.
Mauch reminded job seekers at the event to keep a positive attitude.
“You can’t just sit by the side of the trail,” he said. “Pick yourself up and move forward.”
The REI store is under construction at the west end of the mall, next to Forever 21, in the same building that used to be home to Mervyns. Although a specific opening date for the REI store has yet to be announced, staff for the new store is expected to be hired and on board by the end of March, REI spokeswoman Bethany Hawley said.
