An employment agency is looking to find jobs for hundreds of people in North Texas.
Express Employment Professionals, which has offices throughout the Metroplex, said it hopes its "pay it forward hiring drive" can help people who are unemployed during the holiday season.
"We're trying to, here locally, put 650 additional people to work that week," Express Entertainment owner Mike Overby said. "It may be four hours; it may be 40 hours. The whole goal is that they would get a check the week before Christmas."
The unemployment rate in Irving is at about 6 percent -- below the national average. Overby said the number translates to about 13,000 people looking for jobs.
Four months ago, Lacy Locke found work where she least expected it -- Q Fiat in Irving.
"If you would have told me that I would be selling cars, I probably would've laughed," she said.
One month after being hired temporarily, she was promoted to a full-time career.
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"I just started out as a sales professional and moved up to the Internet sales manager, and I've truly loved it," she said.
Q Fiat general manager James Alexandre said he's looking to hire more employees because sales are expected to pick up in December.
"I think that every business should have an obligation -- a moral obligation -- to hire people that, with this economy and the lack of jobs, are very crucial," he said.
The hiring drive begins on Monday.
