By Cara McCoy (contact)

Wed, Jan 7, 2009 (5:38 p.m.)

With jobs in short supply across the Las Vegas Valley -- and the rest of the country -- many unemployed Nevadans are pounding the pavement, resumes in hand.

The thirst for work will be evident Thursday as a crush of job-seekers is expected to descend upon Green Valley Ranch to attend the Opportunity Boulevard Winter Career Fair. (The job fair was organized, in part, by the Las Vegas Sun, Recruiting Nevada and In Business, all owned by the Greenspun family. Green Valley Ranch is a joint venture between Station Casinos and the Greenspun family.)

In November, Nevada recorded a 24-year-high unemployment rate of 7.9 percent, up from 7.7 percent the month before, according to the Labor Statistics Bureau. The number is expected to increase in 2009, analysts have said.

Clark County isn't the only place feeling the pinch, as the nation's unemployment rate in November zipped to 6.7 percent, a 15-year high. December statistics haven't been released.

In addition to the 12,000 jobs available at the under-construction CityCenter, a number of other employers will be on-site at the job fair, including Harrington & Reed, Inc., AARP, North Vista Hospital, Marshall Retail Group, Nevada Broadcasters Association, Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center, U.S. Border Patrol, Mary Kay, High Tech Institute, Walgreens, Univision Radio, Clark County School District. A complete list of employers and jobs is available on the career fair's Web site.

Organizers said employers at the job fair are looking for candidates of all ages, including semi-retired professionals for part- and full-time positions.

"As of Wednesday afternoon, about 2,000 people had pre-registered through the Web site. Based on that number and attendance at past events, we are expecting between 4,000 and 5,000 to attend," said Doug Geinzer, director of online classified advertising with Recruiting Nevada.