More than 2,000 job seekers pack Dallas County hiring event
DALLAS – More than 2,000 job seekers packed into Gilley's Dallas to look for new opportunities, a significant increase from 2023's event.
"Last year, we had around 500 people show up," said Steven Bridges with Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas, which partnered with Jenkins to host the job fest.
He believes it shows the current job market is stabilizing.
"There's almost an equal number of people looking and the number of jobs," Bridges said. "So I'm seeing the pendulum swing back to the middle, where it's not that you have more job seekers than jobs. It's kind of more in the middle than it used to be."
More than 70 companies from a variety of industries have a combined 3,500 openings to fill. These positions include opportunities in logistics, education, healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, business, hospitality, and more with employers such as UPS, FedEx, Dallas County, the City of Dallas, and the City of Irving.
"The more events like this we have the better," said Kathy Breedlove, HR project manager at Canadian Solar, which has already hired more than 1,300 employees this year alone to staff its new facility in Mesquite. The company still needs more talent.
"Right now, I think the hiring market is good," Breedlove said. "It's just that some of the positions we hire tend to be specific."
Denise Love from Garland was surprised by the number of open positions.
"As more companies find themselves wanting to move to the DFW area, we're getting crowded, but people are getting employed," said Love, who already has a job but is open to change. "That's a big deal."
Duane Newsom, who lives in Dallas, is hoping the face time with recruiters will help him land his next gig.
"I'm open and looking and it's all about making a connection with someone," Newsom said. "I'm so glad I came."
If you missed the event but are looking for a job, you can connect with Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas. The organization operates eight centers across Dallas County with a full-time team dedicated to helping citizens find meaningful employment along with opportunities for job training, workplace education, child care, and educational initiatives.