Job Seekers Have The Advantage In Current Labor Market

DENVER (CBS4) - It is a job seeker's dream market. Hospitality industry employers lined up to recruit employees for Thursday's job fair at the Grand Hyatt.

"They have 200 rooms available and they only have about 160 that are open right now," Jessica Stroebel, Hotel Monaco Director of Housekeeping said.

The Born and Monaco Hotels, part of the Kimpton Company, are just one of over 40 employers at the hiring event, trying to get enough staff to go back to normal.

"We are looking to hire two-thirds of the staff back that we currently have," Stroebel explained.

And yet the turnout was a bit thin, and CBS4 asked one hiring director for Stem Ciders, where is everyone?

"I mean, I would love to know so that I could find them," Giannina Orozco, Stem Ciders HR Director said.

Stem Ciders, a popular bar and brewpub with locations in RINO District and Lafayette, want to add more days and hours.

"We thought we'd be turning people away, but here we are screaming on the rooftops asking people to come work for us," Orozco said.

Both companies tell CBS4, they're competitive and hiring for more than just entry-level jobs.

"I start Tuesday," Tay Summers said.

Summers was hired on the spot to work at a restaurant. It's never been this easy.

"You know in the past you just go online to apply," she recalled.

So, why did she wait so long? She explained, it has a lot to do with feeling safe, and concern for her family members.

"I feel like it scared a lot of us, a lot of people and we just kind of had to pause," she said.

Others are still not sure.

"The economy is going to be impacted if we can't get people back to work," Brett Walker, Denver Employer Services Manager.

Some employers at the fair were throwing in $1,000 bonuses and offering incentives such as matching 401k plans, they know with a busy summer season ahead it will take extra effort, to get enough workers.

LINK: Connecting Colorado