Looking at the crowd of 50-plus job seekers gathered at the Southfield Civic Center, Wednesday, provided a sobering view of today's job market: Experienced, but out of work. 

According the Urban Institute on Retirement Policy, 2 Millon Americans age 55 and older are unemployed. 

EmploymentGuide.com, AARP and WiserWorker.com joined forces to host a career fair for those age 50 and older. (The event ended at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.)

In addition to having an opportunity to meet with employers with job openings, attendees sat in on free workshops for job-finding help.

WWJ's Florence Walton spoke with Karen Beck of Novi, who lost her job in the auto industry back in February.

"It's a strain...I have a disabled husband," Beck said.

"I'm worried that, yes, I'm going to lose my house. I'm worried that, yes, I have a truck payment, what if I can't keep up with that," she said.

Among the companies and organizations recruiting at the fair:

Art Van Furniture
Bank of America
Comcast
Dearborn Police Dept.
H&R Block
Michigan Army National Guard
Michigan Jobs and Career Portal
TraVerus Travel
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol

For more information and a complete list of participating companies, click here.

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