Hundreds of job seekers line up outside the National Career Fairs job fair at the Radisson Martinique On Broadway in New York. Photo by Craig Ruttle/AP Photo

For 36 years, Joe Blandford worked in the meat business. He retired from the Giant Food chain in 2007 after a knee injury, then briefly joined rival Safeway as a deli supervisor, jumping ship there for a new job just before a wave of layoffs.

But then that job disappeared. With inadequate retirement savings, a deflated 401(k) plan and Social Security still years away, the 56-year-old Blandford needs work.

“I’m barely paying the bills,” he said. “I’m spinning my wheels.”

Recently, he noticed an ad for a job fair at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., home of football’s Washington Redskins. Among the employers present was the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Blandford knows meat. The USDA inspects meat. Maybe he’d find a job there?

Blandford was given the phone number of a person to contact about a meat inspection position, and he left the fair cautiously optimistic that something would pan out.

“I think it’s a way to find a job if the companies are seriously hiring people,” he says, “but I think many of them are doing it for the PR and they don’t really have jobs. They’re going through the motions because it is politically correct.”

Valerie Nichols, 59, was also at Landover that day, waiting patiently as the line snaked along the stadium wall. There were so many people that only 50 were allowed to enter at a time. Nichols had left her job as a public school teacher because of the stress. But with a knowledge of six languages and an upbeat personality, she believes she can be an asset to any customer service department.

“I think I have at least 10 more years,” Nichols said as she stood in line to talk to reps from Comcast. “I’d rather not collect Social Security. I’d rather stay active and happy, having a job. It’s amazing how it’s connected with your happiness on a certain level.”

Job fairs are popular with employers and job seekers because they offer a wealth of possibilities in a short time. Three major online job sites—Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com and EmploymentGuide.com—have advertised 130 fairs for between May and September of this year in nearly every major metropolitan area coast to coast. Others are being organized by the government, nonprofits and organizations.

Many fairs are multi-industry; some focus on specialties, such as health, science or jobs that require security clearances. A few target diversity candidates, older workers or the disabled. Fairs are free for job seekers; employers often pay to participate. Although such events are rarely an immediate cure for unemployment ills, they do work for some. Jeff LeBel, general manager of EmploymentGuide.com, said that 5,200 people were hired this year through 40 fairs the company helped organize.

There’s no doubt that with the onset of the recession, interest in job fairs has increased. Amy Hoster of Wiserworker.com, a job-posting site that promotes employment for older workers, said that in 2008 a job fair would typically draw 500 to 600 people. This year attendance is more likely to be between 2,000 and 3,000.

Many are older workers. In past economic downturns, they might have been protected by seniority, but now many are being laid off because they are more expensive or may lack technical skills.

In April, the unemployment rate for workers 55 and older reached 6.4 percent—and 6.7 percent for men in that age group. While that was still well below the national rate of 8.9 percent, it was the highest since the government started tracking that figure in 1948. That, plus the hit that older workers’ 401(k) retirement plans have taken in the recession, has motivated many older workers to keep working, or go back to work. They need the money.

“If we had had this conversation a year ago, I would have told you most older workers are seeking to go back to work to have something to stimulate their minds,” said Hoster. “Now, with 401(k)s bottoming out and expenses going up, these workers are forced to go back to work to supplement their income.”

Hoster said job fairs can be advantageous for older job seekers because they provide a face-to-face opportunity. “Older workers tend to write long-winded resumés with a lot more information than required,” she said. “But a personal interview gives them a chance to put a face with a name and give some life to that resumé.”

Ed A. Redfern Jr., an AARP project manager who has experience as an employment counselor, said, “The first thing older workers tend to put on their resumé is how many years of experience they have. And what employers think is, ‘And so what?’ ” What’s important, he said, is that you focus on your skills and your accomplishments.

According to LeBel, older workers should focus on their strengths. “The reality is, if you are a baby boomer, you probably have a great work ethic,” he said. “That’s what you bring to the table. You can say, ‘I’m open to learning new technology, but I’m not scared of working hard and I will show up every day.’ ”

Certainly, the thousands of applicants at the Landover fair were hoping that such a pitch would impress the 50 or so employers, from government and health care to fast food and customer service. Many sounded age-friendly.

Danielle Darby, of RCM of Washington Inc., said older people make ideal employees at her company, which provides services for the elderly. “We have entry-level positions for folks who take care of our individuals,” she said. “We have management positions for folks with a bachelor’s degree. We are looking for nurses. We love to hire folks over 50 because they have great experience.”

For the entrepreneur, Avon was calling. At the cosmetic retailer’s booth, De Anna Clark said pre-retirees are among the most interested in sales because they want to start learning how to build a business before their regular employment ends.

“This kind of career gives them the chance of having that retirement feeling, of not being in a structured work environment,” she said. “It gives them that freedom they expect they should have when they retire.”

A few weeks after the Landover job fair, Avon said it had hired several sales representatives but was unable to provide information by age. An RCM representative said that the company had hired 13 people. The oldest was 38.

As for Joe, he’s still looking for a job. The USDA has asked him for more information. “I haven’t given up,” he said.

Making the Most of a Job Fair

Planning to attend a job fair? Consider these tips:

• Before: Look for a fair where employers are looking for you—companies with track records of hiring older workers. Check out the participants and the job openings on their websites. That way, you can ask about a specific position that the representative may not know about. Make sure your resumé is up to date.

Andy Moser, Maryland’s assistant secretary of labor, says his state uses federally funded Senior Community Service Employment Program grants to organize job fairs and hire older workers as job counselors. “It’s a slam dunk,” he says. “Wal-Mart, KMart, Prudential and Bank of America all have programs for hiring seniors. We stage a job fair and make sure their representatives are there.”

• During: Present yourself as a serious job seeker. Dress modestly—business casual is usually appropriate, or even a suit if that’s what you’d wear at the job you’re seeking. There’s a difference “between those who get a job out of a job fair and those who stop, drop and roll,” says LeBel. So don’t just drop off your resumé. Wait until employers are free and talk to them. Greet them with a firm handshake. Use your research to show that you have the skills they’re seeking.

• After: Follow up by sending a thank-you note to the people you met. And don’t stop your search, says Redfern of AARP. “A job fair is just one tactic in a job search strategy.”

Gilbert Klein, a former correspondent with the Media General News Service, is a freelance writer based in Arlington, Va.