There were many employment choices available for visitors to LaGrange Mall’s job fair Thursday. Men and women cruised by tables looking for applications and information, all in hopes of landing a working opportunity.

From Mary Kay to Tom-boy Tools - Twin Cedars Youth Services to the LaGrange Transitional Center - local businesses were looking for potential employees, both long- and short-term, and potential employees were looking for jobs.

In front of Bath and Body Works, store manager Heather Potts had a small stack of applications beside her and a few more applicants in front of her.

“If you can sell anything, you can sell soap and lotion,” she said.

A few potential hires walked near the table, picked up applications and walked off. Making small talk, Potts asked the two what their favorite products were. One man enjoyed the store’s cocoa butter, while a woman liked the Sweet Pea fragrance.

“It’s always in the top five,” Potts said.

While the job fair gives potential employees a chance to see what’s out there, it’s also a chance for the manager to get to know those interested in employment. Instead of an interested person dropping off a resume and, perhaps, having the manager call back and plan a meeting, Potts can size them up immediately.

“It gives me an opportunity to actually spend time and talk to the applicants” she said, “rather than being in the store, trying to run the store, and be, ‘Yeah, great, thanks. I’ll look at it later.’

“Usually, they’ll dress a lot better because they know they’re gonna hit several different places.”

LaGrange Mall marketing manager Kelley Mitchell expected 10 to 12 businesses at the Thursday fair. Members of the armed forces; representatives of Troy University in Troy, Ala.; and employees of multiple retail shops were handing out applications and brochures left and right.

Stores like rue21 were looking for employees suited for an assistant manager’s position, while Potts was looking for temporary holiday workers.

Some residents were just looking for any opportunity.

Former Atlanta resident Kasey Breedlove moved back to LaGrange as a victim of the recession. She’s been in LaGrange about one month and hasn’t found employment.

“I figured I’d check it out - see what kind of opportunities were available,” she said.

With a stack of resumes in hand, Breedlove had no specific job in mind - just to walk out with one.

“I’m just going in there,” she said. “I’m just going in there hoping to find something.”

Trey Wood can be reached at twood@lagrangenews. com or (706) 884-7311, Ext. 228.