With 500 jobs on offer Thursday, Stanislaus County Fair officials expected a big turnout for the Fair's first ever one-day hiring event.

But even Fair staff were surprised when hundreds of people were already in line at 8 a.m., hours before doors opened at 11 a.m.

“It's been great,” said Adrenna Alkhas, Fair spokesperson. “We've had hundreds and hundreds of people.”

A steady flow of potential employees continued to flow through the gates until the job fair concluded at 7 p.m. And many of those jobseekers left the Fairgrounds with a new job, after only a few hours waiting.

“Some people are getting hired on the spot,” Alkhas said.

The job fair was a change of pace for the Stanislaus County Fair, which in the past has hired summer workers through a more traditional application process. But the new format allowed for more face-to-face interview time, Alkhas said, and will probably return in 2014.

Alkhas estimated that 700 people – or more – had applied for jobs as of 2 p.m. Many of those applying were teachers, school administrators, and students looking for a summer job, Alkhas said.

Positions on offer ranged from ticket sellers to security guards, maintenance workers, office personnel, and exhibit attendees.

“They're looking for what they can get, the majority of them,” Alkhas said.

Most of the 500 jobs on offer will be only for the 11 day run of the fair, Alkhas said, but some workers may be offered permanent employment based on performance.

Also on hand for the job fair were Costco, Mary Kay, and branches of the U.S. military looking for full-time, permanent employees.

To learn more about the 2013 Stanislaus County Fair, which will run from July 12 through 21, visit www.stancofair.com.