CENTRAL FLORIDA -- Eyewitness News learned that 192,000 people across Central Florida are looking for work and the competition is intense.

At Workforce Central Florida, there are about 80 applicants for every single job available. Applicants will have to do more than read job listings to land a job.

"I definitely feel blessed,' said worker Cerese Parsons.

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SPECIAL SECTION: Central Fla. Job Guide On WFTV.Com

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Parsons recently got a job as the new registrar for the Central Florida Institute in Orlando. The medical training school had 110 applicants for her job.

Workforce Central Florida is a federally funded agency that helps job seekers. On Tuesday, there were 856 positions available for more than 78,000 job seekers.

"The odds change with the amount of effort they put into it," said President of Workforce Central Fla. Gary Earl.

Earl said this is the worst job market he's seen in more than 30 years.

His agency is still listing jobs, such as a secretarial position paying $16,600, a purchasing manger paying $60,000 and a maintenance mechanic job paying $24,400. . However, Earl says following the job listings may not be enough.

"They need to network with people they know, people who are in similar job categories," he said.

Parson's employer, Richard Covington, says he was looking for personality.

"Somebody with passion, somebody with empathy," said Covington.

Before the recession, Workforce Central Fla. estimated it helped 50,000 people per year find jobs in a five-county area. In 2009, that number may slip to 40,000.