The line of people hoping to find - in these days - that often eluding job stretched out the door at a career fair at the Durham County Library Wednesday.

But despite that influx of demand for jobs, potential employers still hope to find the right candidates to fill their positions

"We're looking for folks with tax experience," John Wizner with Jackson Hewitt Tax Service said.

"We have several positions in human services like social workers, nurses, several positions in mental health," Charlene Wilkins with the County of Durham said.

Officer Greg Grayson said the Durham Police Department is also looking for qualified people.

"We're looking for sworn police officers over the age of 21," Grayson said.

Some jobs like the ones at Jackson Hewitt Tax Service are temporary positions that begin in December.

"We can use about 100 people. We have positions from office manager to receptionist," Wizner said.

Other employers including the County of Durham are looking for full-time employees now, offering salaries from $20,000 to nearly $50,000 a year. But county officials say the market is competitive.

"With the economy the way it is so many people are out of work and we're not only getting people applying for jobs that are skilled in the field, but we're also getting people skilled in other areas but also meet the requirements of the position. So it is challenging," Wilkins said.

Gwendolyn Burney said she has been applying online, but this job fair has given her a clearer idea of what employers want.

"With the Internet, you don't know who you're talking to so it's good to be face to face," Burney said.

There were about a dozen employers at the fair and nearly 1,000 people came through inquiring about jobs.

The fair was sponsored by JobLink, Durham County Library, The City of Durham and the Employment Security Commission.