Hiring 716: Job fair coming directly to job seekers and guarantees a job

A neighborhood-specific career fair came to the corner of Genesee and Goodyear this afternoon.

This is the beginning of a new pilot program that hopes to bring employers directly to job seekers in specific areas. Fourteen companies came to the Goodyear neighborhood guaranteeing that each would employ at least one person from the 14211 or 14215 zip codes.

"We have target four in-the-community job fairs. We will be doing three more of these job fairs directly in the community reaching out neighborhoods in the city of Buffalo that have experienced some challenges," Mayor Byron Brown said.

Neighbors that came said they were happy this job fair was more accessible than previous ones.

"Sometimes you don't really have a way to get downtown," Shirley Scott said.

She has been unemployed for six months and said it has been difficult.

"I put in the footwork, you know? I go back and forth through the job call and everything and nobody responds back."

She's optimistic that this time it will work out.

"Oh yes, plenty of opportunities," she said.

Some companies in attendance were M&T Bank, Home Depot, and AMR. They also provided resume and general career advice. 

Tips include: being on time, honest, hardworking, trustworthy, and enthusiastic. What's more, many of these companies don't require previous experience. AMR and Seneca Casino's will provide training. After that's completed they guarantee a job someplace within the company.

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