The current sluggish economy has made it even more important to make a good impression during a job interview. Job seekers at The Times-Dispatch annual 2008 Spring Job Fair will have an opportunity to put their best foot forward.

About 15 companies are sending recruiters to the event. It will be held Tuesday, May 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the company's Hanover production building, 8460 Times-Dispatch Blvd., off U.S. 301 in Mechanicsville.

Recruiters will be looking for candidates to fill positions in a range of fields, from the construction and financial services sectors to the restaurant and customer service industries.

Job seekers should come prepared, said Whitney Allen, recruitment advertising account executive for the T-D and the event's coordinator.

"Coming prepared means dressing appropriately. You have one shot at a first impression, and that is critical," she said.

Allen also advises participants to bring plenty of copies of their résumés.

"Do your homework," she said. "If there are companies there that you think you might be interested in, research them a bit beforehand so that you can stand out from the pack in your conversations with recruiters."

Many of the companies sending representatives have sent recruiters in the past. They've been pleased with the caliber of the job candidates they've met, Allen said.

"The companies certainly come back because they like the candidate pool these job fairs bring out," Allen said.

The spring job fairs "tend to bring out more college seniors looking for their first job, as well as graduating high school seniors," she said.

In addition to preparation, enthusiasm and a winning attitude will go a long way in helping a job candidate's prospects for success.