Looking for a job? You’re probably not alone. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, the unemployment rate in Buffalo as of March 2012 was 10.4%. It’s been up around double-digits since Jan. 2010, marking the worst joblessness drought in the city since the late 1990s.

Unfortunately, bad times don’t mean that groceries are suddenly free, or that gas prices drop to meet the reduction in income, or delicious beer and delightful sporting event tickets are discounted to fit a tightened budget. That means you have to job up, man! Luckily, there is a solid opportunity to find meaningful employment this week.

BuffaloJobFinder.com will sponsor the CareerFest job fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22 at the Millennium Airport Hotel (2040 Walden Road, Buffalo). Companies in attendance will include AFLAC, Blue Cross / Blue Shield, Darien Lake, Catholic Health, GEICO, the Hamburg Fairgrounds, West Herr Auto and many more. Admission is free.

If you are planning to attend, here are a few pieces of advice—

1.) Guys, wear a tie. Ladies, wear a skirt or a nice suit. Everyone: ask yourself if your outfit is something you would comfortably wear out on Chippewa Street. If the answer is yes, change.

2.) Have a game plan. Don’t go into this event cold! Tell yourself what you want to accomplish, and then hustle hard until you achieve that goal. If you want three interviews, get those three interviews scheduled. If you want to work for the casino, get in there and show them why you’re well-qualified. If you want to go home with a job, make it happen.

3.) Print out your resume. Sure, it’s a digital age, but it is always helpful to have that hard copy in hand so you and a potential employer can quickly review your work history together.

Good luck! Unemployment is the worst. We look forward to seeing you back in the daily grind soon.

Photo from Flickr / erix!