DALLAS — In a recent eight-week period, nearly 2 million Texans filed for unemployment.
More of those workers will be returning as more types of businesses are allowed to open, and as some types of businesses are allowed to expand their capacity from 25% to 50%. Reopening plans, restrictions, and dates can be found here.
Even as some employees return, many others are looking for work. You might be familiar with the unemployment office called the Texas Workforce Commission. Another branch called Texas Workforce Solutions, aims to assist people in getting jobs.
Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas (WSGD) has been holding virtual job fairs, where people can go to the website, enter a virtual lobby, and stop by virtual booths to meet real employers actively looking for workers.
WSGD hasn’t officially announced this yet, so you’re reading it here first: June 3 and 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., they are planning a huge job fair with the City of Dallas, where they hope to feature as many as 40 employers who are hiring.
Job seekers can pre-register as early as Wednesday, May 20 online. That site will not be active until Wednesday.
Once the site is live, job seekers can set up a log in, build a profile and upload their resumes prior to the event -- and are highly encouraged to do so. Workforce Solutions says most employers in the past have asked that job seekers upload resumes for their review.
For those who need some resume assistance, the office has resume help and other online workshops available here. And there is a wealth of resume writing advice here and here.
For weeks we have been hearing about those nearly half a million jobs that are available right now in Texas through the state site Work In Texas. A WFAA viewer questioned the validity of some of those listings, saying some of them appeared to be old entries…essentially ‘zombie postings’ for positions that don’t exist.
WFAA brought up that concern with the TWC. Spokesman Cisco Gamez says they looked into it. Gamez assures that the agency is regularly and actively questioning employers about their listings on there.
“They are fresh jobs. They are updated. They are available right now,” he said.
WFAA is also actively working with local employers to get current, verified job listings. We are posting those at wfaa.com/hiring. The list is growing. And you can add a business that’s hiring, too.
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