OKC Black Chamber Of Commerce Works To Reduce Unemployment

As we take a deeper look into the unemployment numbers of Oklahoma City, we are learning that some are struggling more than others.

Friday, April 4th 2014, 9:19 am

By: News 9


As we take a deeper look into the unemployment numbers of Oklahoma City, we are learning that some are struggling more than others.

One of the things Oklahoma City can brag about is our low unemployment rate. Forbes magazine listed it around 5 percent, number 18 nationally. But the Black Chamber of Commerce says that number is not the same for the African-American or Hispanic community.

The group's president says the minority unemployment rate in Oklahoma City is actually between 11 and 13 percent. Small and mid-size companies say it's not that the applicants aren't qualified, it's the application process they need to improve on.

'You gear your application and resume to a specific job. The days of having one resume are long gone. The resume has to be customized for that job just because technology has changed so much," said Sharron Jackson-Glover, President of the Black Chamber of Commerce. "You have to dress for the company. What I've come to understand is we say dress professional and that's very subjective based on a person's background or their exposure to a professional environment. So we will show them examples."

This weekend, the Black Chamber of Commerce is hosting an event to help improve those unemployment numbers for our city. It's called the Women of Color Expo, "What you Need to Know in Today's Job Market."

The event takes place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday at Metro Tech. This event is free and open to anyone interested.

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