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As the St. James Hotel draws nearer toward its completion, employees are being sought after to staff it once it opens its doors.

Rhaglan Hospitality, the organization responsible for the purchase and renovation of the historic hotel, will host a St. James Hotel Job Fair on Friday, Jan. 3 from 8 a.m. until noon and from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. at ArtsRevive, located at 3 Church St. in downtown Selma.

“I think it is a great move and a sign that the St. James is moving forward,” said Selma City Council President Corey Bowie. “The job fair allows local people to apply and work at the St. James and also make a livable wage. I applaud the company for giving local people the opportunity to work at this historic location.”

Rhaglan is looking to fill a variety of positions pertaining to the day-to-day operations of the hotel, including office and sales managers, front desk agents, night auditors, security, bellmen, housekeepers, maintenance workers, line cooks, servers, bartenders and hosts.

The flyer for the job fair touts competitive pay and “great Hilton benefits.”

Applicants are encouraged to arrive “interview ready”.

Selma Career Center Manager Clifford Hunter called the upcoming job fair a welcomed opportunity for area job seekers.

“To have the opportunity to use people from our local area to staff that hotel is an awesome experience and an awesome time for job seekers and employers alike,” said Hunter. “We have to overcome this perception that there are no jobs in Selma.”

Hunter encourages jobseekers to take advantage of the services the Career Center offers ahead of time if they’re interested in attending the job fair and would like tips on professional attire, interview skills or any other job-seeking advice.

“We just want jobseekers to understand that we want them to show up at that job fair and we

want them to show up with a good resume,” said Hunter. “If they don’t have a resume, we have a professional staff here that would be more than happy to help them put one together.”

The Selma Career Center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Times-Journal Editor Adam Powell contributed to this report.