Hundreds of companies lined up at the Neal Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall Wednesday in hopes of finding the perfect candidates for their open positions.

With the state’s unemployment rate among the lowest in the nation at 2.7 percent, some businesses struggling to find qualified hires hoped to find them at the fifth annual Career Expo, which is put on by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Law Enforcement Federal Credit Union officials said they’ve been looking to fill the position of collection manager for quite some time.

“It’s a very difficult position to work for,” HLEFCU representative Valerie Chun said. “They have to be skilled negotiators because they have to get our money back but they also have to be empathetic with the situation.”

Chun said she noticed the same position open at other financial institutions participating in the Career Expo.

Aqua Engineers had positions open on both Oahu and Kauai but hasn’t been able to fill them despite attending two other career events within the past few months.

“Either people already have a job or they aren’t looking, I don’t know,” said Aqua Engineers employee Derek Childress. Aqua Engineers, which services the water and wastewater industry, is an employee-owned business where employees get stock in the company.

Loren Pabila, human resources generalist for Hawaii Gas, says it’s been a little rough for the company to find new hires as well but it has been “lucky” due to its low turnover rate.

He added that the company is looking for individuals with the right skill set, but more importantly someone with a good attitude.

“It’s not only getting positions filled but getting positions filled with quality people that want to take the initiative, want to work, you know, make a difference,” Pabila said.

However, employers haven’t been the only ones that have been struggling. One person looking for a job said he’s been searching for over a month.

David Robinson, 42, moved back to Hawaii with his family after being away for four years due to his wife being a servicewoman, and has been having a hard time getting back into the workforce.

“When you take a resume at face value, it’s not a lot to go by … so that to me is a challenge, especially if — being a military spouse — if there’s employment gaps,” Robinson said. “It’s almost like you’re starting all over again.”

Other people who attended the expo are currently employed and were just looking to see what’s out there.

One 28-year-old, who moved to Hawaii to take care of his mom, was keeping an eye out for other opportunities and thought the Career Expo would be good for just that.

“Helping you find that path to that dream career, whatever that may be, I think it’s a good place to start,” said Brent Farber.

The Career Expo included Hawaii companies like Manola, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific Health, Kamehameha Schools, Aqua- Aston Hospitality, Hertz, and Honolulu Police Department. It was co-sponsored by ALTRES Staffing and Monster.

>> RELATED: View more photos and a video from Wednesday’s Hawaii Career Expo.

ON THE MOVE

Hawaii’s Plantation Village has named Evelyn Ahlo executive director. She previously was office assistant for the museum.

Accuity LLP has announced that Robert Hatanaka has joined its leadership team. He is a 30-year veteran, served as a corporate controller and has a great deal of experience in the public accounting field. Hatanaka was previously an audit principal with two other CPA firms in Hawaii.

Morgan Stanley has named Grant Kubota to the firm’s Master’s Club, composed of its top financial advisers. Kubota is a senior vice president, financial adviser and certified financial planner at the firm’s Wealth Management office in Honolulu, his experience also includes serving as a certified public accountant at KPMG.