"I've been laid off since February," said Douglas Jones of North Philadelphia. "Back in here trying to get back into the workforce."
"I'm a new resident to Philadelphia, working part time is not enough to sustain me financially," said Heather Frantz of Northeast Philadelphia.
Organizers call this one of the largest job fairs in Philadelphia. Last year nearly 2,000 people attended, and this year the final count is expected to be even bigger.
"It's a little scary when you see all these applicants come in," said Frantz. "Really says something about this economy."
More than 70 employers set up booths in Mitten Hall. They were from all different fields, including manufacturing, retail and government.
They are looking to fill positions from entry-level to management.
"Philadelphia has a high unemployment rate, so obviously by the numbers you see that people are looking for work. These are people that have credentials. Many of them are degreed, and so they're looking. We're providing this as a community service," said Michael Robinson of Temple's Community Outreach and Hiring Divison.
Applicants told me one of the benefits of this job fair is that it gives you face time with the employers – face time that can set you apart from the rest of the candidates.
"Maybe they see something in you they don't see in everybody else," said Kristal Marsh of Mount Airy.
