The state's largest job fair yesterday drew more job seekers than it did four months ago, but the number of recruiters at the fair dropped, a sign that Hawai'i's job market may be softening.

The Job Quest Job Fair at the Blaisdell Center attracted 3,600 people who were looking for work, compared with 3,500 at last September's fair. But the 182 companies and organizations that set up booths yesterday were down from the 200 that registered last fall.

Although the attendance figures aren't a scientific measure of economic conditions, the president of the company that produces the job fair said the numbers often reflect what's happening in the local economy.

"You can always tell when unemployment comes up, then it's more of an employers' market," said Beth Busch, president of Success Advertising, which has put on the job fair for 11 years. "When unemployment is low, it's a job-seekers' market. They're more in the driver's seat. When the economy starts to turn, then there are more workers than jobs."

The state's unemployment rate was 2.9 percent in November, the highest since February 2005. But Hawai'i still has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country and Busch said there is no need to panic just yet.

"It's a relative thing," she said. "Yes it's turning, but we're still under 3 percent. There are states that would kill for our unemployment rate."

One industry that continues to suffer from a shortage of workers is healthcare, where there is a great need for nurses, certified nurse assistants, medical technicians and other positions. Yesterday, nearly 30 companies, ranging from hospitals to staffing agencies, attended the fair.

Wahiawa General Hospital was at its first job fair and brought a list of nearly 20 openings. Lynn Casaquit, director of nursing, said the hospital felt it was time to start recruiting at job fairs because of the difficulties finding employees.

"As a small country hospital, we're now trying to compete with the larger hospitals," Casaquit said. "We're trying to show that we're out there, we provide the services and quality care, and we pride ourselves that we're a small community hospital and that we're family."

Joe Chizek, 42, had just dropped off his resume with Wahiawa General and said he would visit the other hospitals represented at the job fair. Chizek, a registered nurse who recently moved to Ka'a'awa from Houston, said he's aware of the nursing shortage and is confident he'll find work here.

"It's very encouraging," he said. "I'm hitting places to fill out applications and I'll go online tonight and fill out more applications. But the first one that offers me a job, I'll probably take it."

Hawai'i Medical Center, which operates two hospitals on O'ahu, had been at previous job fairs when it was known as St. Francis Medical Center.

"A lot of people don't know who we are," human resources specialist Rosemary Foster said. "We want to get away from St. Francis and get Hawai'i Medical Center out there."

Foster said she hoped yesterday's event would fill at least 10 medical center positions.

"There are a lot of RNs that came by, which is good," she said. "We had some surgical techs and ultrasound, which are the ones that we need. So that's always good when you get people that we really need."

The next Job Quest Job Fair is in May.

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.