'Reinvent Your Future' Event Counsels Cleveland Job Seekers on How to Stand Out and Get Hired

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Jun 30, 2010, 10:30 ET

CLEVELAND, June 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- There's good news for job seekers in the Midwest; one-in-five employers said they had planned to add full-time workers in the second quarter, according to CareerBuilder's Q2 Job Forecast, and signs are pointing to continued market improvement. University of Phoenix and CareerBuilder have teamed up on the "Reinvent Your Future" event, July 1, at the Cleveland Marriott Key Center, to offer employment counsel with workshops on topics such as interview preparation, resume writing and personal presentation. More than 30 locally hiring companies, including KeyBank, New York Life, MetLife, Lincoln Electric and FirstMerit Bank also will be present to meet with job candidates. At a time when the job market is especially competitive, "Reinvent Your Future" attendees will gain valuable advice on how to better market themselves to potential employers.

Activity on CareerBuilder.com indicates that Cleveland employers are beginning to initiate growth strategies once again, with jobs in sales, health care, customer service, business development and skilled labor/trades experiencing the most growth.

"Job seekers must quickly adapt to this new economy to both differentiate themselves and to demonstrate relevance to potential employers," said Gina Cuffari, University of Phoenix Vice President, Ohio Campuses. "This event bridges career, education and identity development, helping job seekers take their search to the next level. The tools and information available at 'Reinvent Your Future' will help candidates refresh their job-hunting approach and learn how to best market themselves."

Employers are starting to hire again, but as a result of the recession and the 9.4 percent unemployment rate in the Cleveland area (Cuyahoga County), there is also more competition for open positions.

"In a challenging job market, it's important for job seekers to strengthen their personal brand and stand out from the competition," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. "This career fair not only gives people the chance to get in front of employers who are hiring, but also to learn how to position their personal brand ahead of the competition through a stronger resume, sharpened interview skills and an expanded social network."

In addition to potential job opportunities and career retooling sessions, New York Times best-selling author, educator and businessman Stedman Graham will offer a keynote address on the subject of identity and leadership development. Graham will discuss the important role personal identity plays in a job search and how to find and make the most of unique strengths, talents and skills.

"My hope is that people walk away feeling excited and empowered to incorporate identity in their job search and that this results in a fulfilling career," said Graham.

The Cleveland "Reinvent Your Future" event is Thursday, July 1, at the Cleveland Marriott Key Center at 127 Public Square from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free event is open to the general public.

The Cleveland "Reinvent Your Future" event is the tenth in a series of 16 career retooling events across the country being hosted by University of Phoenix and CareerBuilder, featuring Stedman Graham. The next event will take place in Minneapolis on Tuesday, July 13. For more information or to register visit www.reinvent2010.com and follow us on Twitter @Reinvent2010.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is constantly innovating to help students balance education and life in a rapidly changing world. Through flexible schedules, challenging courses and interactive learning, students achieve personal and career aspirations without putting their lives on hold. As of February 28, 2010, 458,600 students were enrolled at University of Phoenix, the largest private university in North America. University of Phoenix serves a diverse student population, offering associate's, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S., as well as online throughout the world. For more information, visit www.phoenix.edu.

About CareerBuilder

CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset - their people. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com®, is the largest in the United States with more than 23 million unique visitors, 1 million jobs and 32 million resumes. CareerBuilder works with the world's top employers, providing resources for everything from employment branding and data analysis to recruitment support. More than 9,000 websites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder's proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), Tribune Company, The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI) and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT), CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.

SOURCE University of Phoenix