SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of its inaugural 2015 Diversity Career Fair, Professional Diversity Network, Inc. (Nasdaq: IPDN) heads west to Silicon Valley to offer an array of career development opportunities for women, Hispanics, African Americans, Asian Americans, veterans, people with disabilities and LGBT professionals. Diverse job seekers are invited to connect with leading employers on Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at the DoubleTree by Hilton (Bayshore Ballroom), 2050 Gateway Place in San Jose, CA. The event takes place from 11:30 am until 6:00 pm. 

According to the latest US Department of Labor statistics, California's 7.0 percent unemployment rate remains well above the national rate of 5.6 percent. For diverse job seekers, unemployment and underemployment levels— particularly for Hispanics and African Americans in CA— are significantly higher regardless of educational attainment.

"Developing and sustaining workforce diversity is no easy task. With a well-crafted plan and the right partner to fill the pipeline with qualified diverse candidates, employers in Silicon Valley can successfully hire and retain top talent," said Star Jones, president of Professional Diversity Network and the National Association of Professional Women (NAPW).  "Through events like our San Jose Diversity Career Fair, we can help companies of all sizes leverage diverse talent to achieve breakthrough business performance. It's as much art as it is science."

Given the concentration of IT and technology-driven enterprises in the area, the Career Fair will focus on helping diverse professionals secure STEM related jobs. However, participating companies represent a range of industries, including healthcare, media and retail. Exhibitors include Oracle, Bed Bath & Beyond, Sutter Health and The City of Stockton among others. KICU/TV 36, KTVU/Fox 2 News, The University of Phoenix and the National Association of Professional Women are sponsors. During the one-day event, registered attendees can meet face-to-face with recruiters and HR managers at no cost. In addition to networking opportunities, the interactive agenda includes seminars on personal branding, resume writing and job interview skills.

"Through our unique blend of open recruiting, networking and education, we are offering diverse job seekers access to people and resources needed for career success," said Mike Hall, executive vice president of Professional Diversity Network.  "This innovative format allows candidates to engage with HR professionals and, in some cases, interview on the spot. We hope every diverse job seeker in San Jose and surrounding areas will join us on February 17, 2015."

To register or see the full schedule, visit http://www.prodivnet.com/events/san-jose-career-fair.  Connect on Facebook and follow conference updates on Twitter @PDNEvents; hashtag #PDNSJ.  Exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities are still available.

About Professional Diversity Network
Professional Diversity Network (PDN) is an Internet software and services company that develops and operates online professional networking communities dedicated to serving diverse professionals and employers seeking to hire women, minorities, veterans, LGBT and disabled professionals. Through job matching technology, national events, networking career fairs and relationship affinity groups, the Chicago-based company provides employer clients a means to identify and acquire diverse talent and assists them with efforts to comply with the Equal Employment Opportunity Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program. PDN's subsidiary, the National Association of Professional Women (NAPW) is one of the largest and most-recognized networking organizations of professional women in the US, with over 600,000 members representing more than 200 industries. Online networking communities include iHispano, BlackCareerNework, WomensCareerChannel, Military2Career, ProAble, OutProNet and AsianCareerNetwork. For more information visit, prodivnet.com.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/professional-diversity-network-to-host-career-fair-in-silicon-valley-on-february-17-2015-300027617.html

SOURCE Professional Diversity Network, Inc.