However, optimism turned to frustration from many of those who lined up for the event.
The early lines, the long wait and the lack of opportunity to get an interview today created aggravation.
"I just felt that this could have been handled in a better way rather than we coming out at 3am in the morning standing in line," Anita Williams said.
"I'm hungry. I'm looking for a job," job seeker Clarye Scott said. "I've been unemployed since 2010 and I have the skills to meet the company expectation and I just need to opportunity to be interviewed and today I was not given that opportunity."
The city had set up some computers for people to apply for jobs via their online application system, CAREERS, at city of Chicago.org .
Mayor Rahm Emanuel greeted some job seekers and heard some of those frustrations first hand.
Emanuel said it was the first city wide job fair and in future the city will do others and makes changes as needed to better address concerns of job seekers.
"There are more people that want work," Emanuel said. "That's why I've had an integrative strategy to what we're doing at the city, what we're doing in the private sector to make sure Chicago is growing."
Today's job fair comes in as many job seekers are simply desperate for work.
But there were some who found help with resumes and promises of interviews.
"Even though it did take a long time, I'm a little excited now," Denise Smyles said.
