ABBEVILLE, La. (KLFY) – Today’s job fair at Abbeville High School saw a steady flow of eager jobseekers.

The event was hosted by the Louisiana Workforce Commission, Vermillion Parish Chamber of Commerce, Vermillion Economic Development Alliance and other organizations.

Doors opened at 9 a.m. and job fair officials say within 30 minutes, 300 people had packed the halls of the high school.

“When we got here there were about 75 people waiting this morning before 8 a.m.,” Anne Falgou said, who is the Vermillion Economic Development Alliance’s Executive Director.

Close to 50 employers were accepting applications, conducting interviews and some were hiring applicatns on the spot.

“It’s nice to be face-to-face because a lot of times first impressions mean everything,” job seeker Joyce Cornett told KLFY.

Almost 600 hopeful employees showed up at the job fair.

Abbevillie native Christopher Broussard was recently laid off from his job in the oil field industry.

“I’ve rode all over like the Port of Iberia, the Port of vermilion and the coastal. I put online applications in Lake Charles; I mean I’ve already been to Biloxi, Mississippi looking for work,” Broussard explained.

He said even with such a large number of companies hiring there’s still a bit of a learning curve.

“It’s really hard, especially when you’re used to doing one thing and nobody is hiring for it. You trying to figure out and get your mindset to try something else,” Broussard said.

Joyce Cornett was a former inventory system’s manager in the oil field. She was laid off a month ago and says jumping back into the job search can be discouraging.

“It’s a self-esteem hit, and you have to question on my gosh now you have to build yourself back up, and you question well what didn’t I do right. But unfortunately because of the way the economy is you have to realize that what you’re doing isn’t necessarily what you’ve done wrong. It’s what a company has to look at from a business standpoint.” Cornett said.

Many of participating companies like Walmart, Abbeville General Hospital and Bell Helicopter are excepting online applications.