BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- A sign of the times Monday morning at the downtown Marriott Hotel, as hundreds, if not more than a thousand people showed up for a job expo hosted by Congressman Kevin McCarthy.

The national unemployment rate was at 9.7 percent in January, while Kern County's unemployment rate was 15.8 percent in December. And there was no better proof of how many people are unemployed and under-employed than Monday's Job Resources Expo.

"I need a job, basically, ten years in an industry got laid off, and I'm here looking for a job," Phil Blas, an IT professional, said.

Blas' story, sadly, in this day and age isn't a rare one. He was laid off three years ago and between part-time and temporary work and unemployment he's trying to help support his wife and two kids. And finding work hasn't gotten any easier.

"It's gotten a lot worse," Blas said. "And it isn't just the industry I was in, I was in the IT industry, it's industries across the board--I can't find a job anywhere, and I've got ten years of experience."

While Blas has been looking for years, Jeremy Long has been looking for months after recently graduating college.

"Everybody says the economy is falling, and it's hard to find jobs and its true."

Long is hoping to hear back from several potential employers, as he was encouraged by the event despite the hundreds of people waiting in line when he arrived.

"It was kind of scary actually when I walked up and how many people need a job," Long said. "Everybody here is dressed in a suit and tie to people who can't get that kind of stuff, it's a lot of people."

"I knew there would be a good turnout of people looking for jobs," McCarthy said. "I'm very thankful at the number of participants we have actually looking to hire some people."

Providing face to face meetings, written and online job applications and having open positions were 78 employers.

"Our unemployment is unacceptable," McCarthy said, "It's higher than the national average and I want to do something about it."

And it's the kind of action that the unemployed, like Phil Blas, need.

"Even with experience it's just difficult," Blas said. "So events like this really do help people like me get some face to face time where I normally wouldn't before."

Blas said that he has been to numerous other job fair's like Monday morning's expo and was surprised to see how many people came out for it, which he credits to McCarthy organizing it.