SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The September jobs report came out on Friday, showing many companies are still struggling to hire new employees.
The nation added 194,000 jobs last month, which is a second straight slow gain update.
The report also shows the unemployment rate fell to 4.8% from 5.2% in August.
But that is partly because about 180,000 people stopped looking for work in September.
That's why the Sacramento LGBT Community Center is working to connect people with new jobs.
They held the "You Betta Work" career fair on Friday, featuring more than 20 companies and small businesses.
As the leaves begin to fall and that air becomes just a little crisper, Jamila Buada is hopeful that someone is ready to turn a new leaf.
"So I'm just trying to find any diamond that wants to be seen and sparkle," Jamila Buada, a franchisee of the Arthur Murray Carmichael Dance Center said.
After a combined eight months of having her dance studio closed because of COVID, she said finding the staff now to keep it running has been the hardest part.
"I used to be able to hire on Indeed and I could like pull three or four names for an interview and I could find somebody within two months or so," she said. "I have not been able to find anybody since we've been able to reopen in, what like February, like really open."
Robynne Rose-Haymer of the Sacramento LGBT Community Center said they put this job fair together to make sure those in the LGBTQ community have both affirming and inclusive job opportunities within the region.
"It might be easier and more convenient to be at home, there's certainly a corner that we must turn eventually," Rose-Haymer said.
Tammy Chance is one of the job seekers hoping for a change.
"15 years of experience and I had been with that company for, going on, my fourth year," Chance said.
She was laid off from her job in commercial property management back in July.
"It was quite unexpected so I'm kind of looking at maybe changing careers, just trying to get something new and maybe try something new and exciting," she said.
And whatever may lie in the path of Tammy's new direction while she figures it out, employers like Buada believe the leaves might just be turning for her too.
"I think every opportunity that we have to change someone's life, even if it's after Covid or pre-Covid or post-Covid, is always great and if we're apart of that, then I think it's always a nice new refresher and a nice new redirection, whatever we can do," Buada said.
