Thousands Turn Out For "You're Hired Job Fest" In Dallas

Dallas (CBS11) - The help wanted sign blazed brightly on downtown Dallas Wednesday. A winding, whirling weave of people lined up at the Sheraton Hotel, by Noon more than 2,000 people were registered.

Not a job fair... A job festival.

"These are jobs that need filling at this moment. We haven't seen employers this hungry in a while. They will conduct interviews today, get a job today," says Laurie Larrea from Workforce Solutions.

The job fest unveiled a tough reality… there is no shortage of people needing and wanting work.

"I'd like to find a part time job. Younger folks can have the full time. I want a part time job." Wanda and Joe Oldham from Cedar Hill are retirees back on the job hunt. "We need the money. When I retired I didn't know it would be so difficult."

Companies such as FedEx, UPS, Amazon and DART partnered with Workforce Solutions and put a combined 4,000 local jobs on the table.

"I want a career, a career where I can make a difference," Broderick Nettles says a paycheck is priority for now. But he has higher goals, but today's mission .... get hired, get in the game.

Some companies say they will pay up to $19 an hour in some cases.

Many applicants told us, they simply need to find something now.