Those seeking a job may get a break Friday as the third annual Scotland County Job Fair will be held at the National Guard Armory from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event, sponsored by Scotland County JobLink and the Lumber River Council of Governments, has 53 employers committed to attending, according to Scotland County ESC Director Burnest Graham.

Friday the 13th may seem like a bad omen for the one in six Scotland County residents seeking a job, but Graham expects some to get lucky.

At the last job fair, 20 people were given jobs on the spot and many others were able to pass out resumes and bend the ear of potential employers.

"We hope to not only provide that same opportunity, but we also want people to be face-to-face with employers and service providers, not just in this county but other counties."

There will be two Job Hunting workshops, one at 9:30 a.m. and one at 11 p.m. Both will last about an hour and give some fundamentals on how to look for a job.

"We'll be talking about how to do an interview, and how to give a good impression from the first encounter," Graham said. "This is a very competitive market, and even more so because of the unemployment rate."

A free lunch will also be provided for those who attend.

"We're going to make sure people don't get hungry and go home," Graham said.

Employ a Vet Week

The job fair will participate in Employ a Vet Week in recognition of Veteran's Day.

"Special emphasis will be placed on hiring vets," Graham said.

Veterans will be identified to potential employers through special badges, which will give them priority in the job hunt.

"We hope to hire a good number of veterans out of this whole process," Graham said.

Mayor Matthew Block signed a proclamation Monday declaring this week Employ a Vet Week for the city of Laurinburg.

"As the mayor representing the city of Laurinburg, I enthusiastically support any effort that is focused on getting jobs for these men and women who have already done so much for this country," Block said.

Benjamin Thomas, who works with veterans at ESC, said veterans are at the top of their list when looking for a job.

"When vets come in, we try to give them priority service," Thomas said. "We try to make sure they get helped quickly and try to get them to apply for jobs before it gets released to the general public."

He said the ESC contacts all eligible veterans for a position before releasing it to the public.

"When veterans may be having some barriers to employment, we have a representative in the office that assists disabled veterans in finding work," Thomas said.

"They served our country and worked hard while they were in the military," Thomas said. "Once you get out of the military, you deserve the priority you need to get back into the workforce."