On March 11, Moorpark College hosted “Resumania,” the first event of Career Week. Students hoping to improve their resumes headed to the Writing Center on the library’s third floor, sat down and got to work.
An eye-catching resume is crucial for making an excellent first impression during the job application process. This means paying attention to the font, organization, wording and spacing to ensure that it is visually appealing and easy to read at a glance.
GCF Global, an organization focused on preparing people to enter the workforce relays the importance of resume writing and its impact on the hiring process.
“…hiring managers may scan more than 100 resumes to fill just one position. This means a hiring manager may only spend a few seconds scanning each one,” GCF Global states.
Placement Project Specialists and Job Developers Kirsten Vassie and Lizette Lomeli were the event’s main hosts. Lomeli and Vassie dedicate their time to helping students transition from college to their chosen careers.
“It is important to have an impressive resume because there is a lot of competition out there,” said Lomeli. “We want to ensure that our students are not selling themselves short so that the employer gets an overview of who they are as employees and as people.”
During the meeting with resume experts, students shared their academic, volunteer and work experience, which was then professionally formatted to make their accomplishments stand out.
“We keep up with the trends at different universities and community colleges in our nation,” said Vassie. “Career week and career fairs are highlights of the Career Center. We are following suit with our sister schools in the district and nationwide.”
Following Resumania was the Career and Internship Expo on March 12, where students could meet with over 90 local employers. Students made a favorable first impression by presenting their professional resumes to the employers.
Students will be able to present their resumes again later next month as the Career Center plans to host an Industry Speaker Series.
“Our main goal with the Industry Speaker Series is to secure students with opportunities to connect with possible future employers,” said Vassie.
The Industry Speaker Series will feature employers from various industries, including government, engineering, computer science and healthcare. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions and gain insight into the career paths that led to their positions.
“The guest speakers will explain what our students can do to prepare for that position,” said Lomelli. “They’ll cover the steps, classes and volunteer experience that helped them be a good candidate for that industry. Students will have an opportunity to secure potential current openings that the company might have.”
Nathan Price, a biology major at Moorpark College, attended the workshop hoping to create an impressive resume that could help him secure a job in his field of interest.
“Building a strong resume is not something they teach you in school,” said Price. “A job in the field of biology differs from other jobs in its requirements, so your resume must reflect your experience and passion for science. The experts helped me organize my achievements, giving me confidence in my resume.”
For more information about Career Week or the Moorpark Career Center, students should visit their website or Instagram.
