ROANOKE RAPIDS — With unemployment rates at an all time high across the nation, sometimes it’s difficult to focus on the positive and keep on going. But at the Spring Career/Job Fair 2009 held at Becker Village Mall yesterday, there was no room for negativity.

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Perhaps that’s because Michael Felt, director of Halifax County Department of Social Services, was involved. This joint effort with Northampton County DSS brought more than 30 participating companies together with more than 1,000 people looking for jobs, as well as providing training.

Felt has his own ideas of how to measure success, and with an infectious personality and a winning smile, he can make you want to believe that anything is possible. “This is different,” said Felt in describing the job fair. “We modified the philosophy of a job fair to be in keeping with the needs of our community.”

As such, not only were there representatives from local business and industry, but there were also classes on how to dress for success, training programs for developing interview skills, job searches and how to build quality resumes. “We use what resources we have to create positive change,” he said.

Felt said the annual event has had a positive impact on the community. “Just look around,” he said. “People are dressing more for success than before. They’re putting their best foot forward and looking the part. People are more upbeat. I’ve seen people in here that have owned a restaurant, others that have been with one company for many years and they lost their job through no fault of their own. But they’re not giving up. They keep on going!”

Perhaps Felt is inclined toward a positive attitude and believing in people because he’s been there himself. In 1997 he lost his job in the banking industry and took a job as a social worker making $17,000 a year. “Training is key,” he said remembering the difficulties he faced in those days. He said without steady training he would not be where he is today. “That’s exactly why we ask our partners to come in and give training, because without training people are less likely to get work.”

Felt went on to say he loves his job and he wouldn’t change what he’s doing for anything. “I love to see people leaving my agency better off than they were,” he said

Florence Bowers said she was pleased with what she’d gained at the job fair. Bowers has been out of work since November. “I’m looking for a job,” she said. “Hopefully I’ll have some luck.” Bowers has been studying online to get a job in the medical field. She said she believes retraining will help her find a position soon.

Brandy Richardson, of Hollister, is finishing college and is looking for a job in office administration. She said the job fair was a great help to her. “I’d been trying to put in an application at the high school but I couldn’t reach the coordinator. She was here and I was able to set up an appointment with her,” she said.

“There aren’t many jobs in this area, and I’m trying to find work,” said Paul Bowman. Bowman works in construction and was fortunate to get some leads from the fair. Bowman said the job situation was preventing him from building a family. “I can hardly support myself, much less a family,” he said.

Businesses like Wal-Mart, West Corporation and Halifax Regional Medical Center all had representatives taking applications. The crowd spilled out of the job fair and into the center of the mall. Everywhere people were filling out applications, hoping to find a position.