Finding a job is tough right now, but Kern Job Fest is working to change that for Kern County residents looking to re-enter the workforce or transition into a new career.Josh Conner, a job developer with the organization, says t hey have helped more than 500 people get hired in recent months, with several more events planned this summer."This is our 4th event now, and it just started, you know. So I know in Bakersfield there was over 100 job offers on the spot that we were aware of," Conner said.Conner says events like these are helpful because they can open candidates' eyes to new industries they may not be considering and put them in front of hiring managers that same day."The online world is great. You can apply for multiple places sitting on your couch, but the thing is: the software that they use, if you don't prepare your resume right, you don't write your application right, you're not using their terminology, you're going to get kicked to the side before anybody sees it," Conner said.Employers say landing a job is difficult not only because of fierce competition, but also because fewer employees are leaving their positions. Nancy Cardona, an HR Analyst for the City of Wasco, says turnover at the city is low."A lot of times, our positions that we have, the employees are there for years, like 5, 10 years. Sometimes it's very rare that we have an opening, but because we don't have a huge turnaround, the employees do like the benefits that they get from working with the city," Cardona said.Cardona added that events like Kern Job Fest give employers the opportunity to connect with candidates beyond a resume."We get to see them, interact with them, and help answer any questions they may have in person, as opposed to just an application where we don't get to see who they are in front of us. We can make that connection in person," Cardona said.For information on upcoming events and job leads, visit the Kern Job Fest website.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.\Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere: Download Our Free App for Apple and Android Sign Up for Our Daily E-mail Newsletter Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Us on YouTube ...read more read less