More than two dozen employers searched for prospective workers at Troy University’s annual career fair at the Dothan Campus on Thursday.

The career fair, held every year the week before Valentine’s Day, drew a variety of businesses to Dothan in search of employers, including school systems, police departments, restaurants and state agencies.

“Last year during this career fair, we met a young lady who applied, and we have since hired her in our Tallahassee office,” said Patty Crutchfield, audit supervisor for quality control and professional practice for the Florida Auditor General’s Office. “Currently we have four Troy University Dothan graduates in our Marianna, Fla., office. We look for students who are eligible to take the CPA exam in Florida, people who have good communication skills, relatively good GPAs, good interpersonal relationship skills and writing abilities.”

For students like Allan Jacob Krausz, events like the career fair provide a needed opportunity to support their families.

“I am currently looking for a good part-time job to help me through my senior year,” said Krausz, a junior biology major. “I’m married and have children, so it’s important for me to have that supplemental income in order to do the things we need. This really helps the students get connected to the community and see the different opportunities that are available in the region.”

Those opportunities are indeed there to be had in the Wiregrass area.

“The opportunities are out there, but you’ve got be willing to jump on them,” said Lissa Dusel, branch manager for Kelly Services in Dothan, a staff solutions center. “Because we’re a staffing agency, a lot of people tend to believe we’re looking for temporary employment candidates, and we’re not. We’re looking for fulltime, ready-to-work professionals that have a heart and desire to get out there and make a good living.”