Anecdotal evidence that there may be just a smidgen of hype to the confident notion that unemployment is not a problem in the U.S. THOUSANDS OF APPLICANTS CROWD R.I. EVENT FOR SHOT AT MALL JOBS By Associated Press, 07/15/99 PROVIDENCE - Demand for jobs at the Providence Place Mall is unexpectedly high, with 6,000 applicants turning out for 1,500 job openings at a job fair. The fair, held Tuesday at the Rhode Island Convention Center, attracted people who jockeyed for a slew of retail positions as well as jobs as janitors, pizza makers and bank managers. The mall is expected to open in August. The event drew a crowd, despite the fact that the state's unemployment is below 4 percent. ''Oh, my God. Overwhelming! It's unbelievable,'' Nordstrom human resources manager Lucy Rose told The Providence Journal. The department store had one of the fair's most popular booths, giving out about 2,000 applications for its 350 openings by midday Tuesday. Other employers ran out of applications. The mall's general manager, Joseph J. Koechel, said the turnout suggested that people want to make job changes and that they are excited about the new mall. The mall will have 150 stores and restaurants and a 16-screen cinema. The biggest stores are Lord & Taylor, Filene's and Nordstrom. Those who attended the fair included an unemployed man whose wife is dying of cancer and a classical guitarist running out of money. This story ran on page A33 of the Boston Globe on 07/15/99. regards, Tom Walker http://www.vcn.bc.ca/timework/worksite.htm
