University of Phoenix and CareerBuilder's 'Reinvent Your Future' Event Helps San Diego Job Seekers Expand their Search and Gain Valuable Employment Counsel

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Apr 21, 2010, 12:30 ET

Recent job forecast points to more employers planning to hire in the region

SAN DIEGO, April 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- There's good news on the horizon for many Californians who are searching for jobs. According to a recent Q2 2010 Job Forecast from CareerBuilder, one-quarter of companies say they plan to add full-time workers in Q2. In addition, activity on CareerBuilder.com indicates that employers in San Diego are beginning to initiate growth strategies once again.

To help job seekers broaden their search and take advantage of potential employment opportunities in the region, North America's largest private university and the number one online career site are teaming up to bring San Diego residents a career fair that goes above and beyond just offering job opportunities. University of Phoenix and CareerBuilder have partnered for the "Reinvent Your Future" tour which gives job seekers access to 40 local hiring companies including Kaiser Permanente, SDSU Research Foundation and the City of La Mesa, while also offering free career focused workshops on topics like interview preparation, resume writing and personal presentation. At a time when the job market is especially competitive, "Reinvent Your Future" helps job seekers gain valuable skills to stand out from the crowd and make themselves more marketable to employers.

"University of Phoenix is pleased to partner with CareerBuilder to offer an event that is relevant and timely for so many job seekers," said Kim Lyda-Savich, campus director of University of Phoenix's San Diego campus. "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."

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 "Reinvent Your Future" event in San Diego is taking place Thursday, April 22 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina at 1380 Harbor Island Drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free event is open to the general public.

With the unemployment rate in California at 12.5 percent, higher than the 9.7 percent national average, there is an explicit need for job seekers to hone their skills and stand out from the crowd in the competitive job market. While attendees meet with potential employers, they can also attend free 15-minute informational workshops and meet one-on-one with interview, image and resume experts to help them sharpen their skills in the following areas:

Rediscover Workshop - Explore the latest trends in job hunting, resume writing and social networking for job seekers. This workshop will teach you best practices in resume development, how to tailor it for multiple uses, what hiring managers are looking for, what to say in a cover letter, and much more.

Rethink Workshop - Personal presentation is everything. Get tips on choosing the right attire for a successful interview, building a professional wardrobe on a budget, and dressing professionally when you become a full-time employee.

Recharge Workshop - This session is designed to sharpen your interviewing skills so you can make a positive, lasting impression. Learn how to prepare for an interview, what types of questions to expect from employers, how to behave during an interview and how to follow-up with the prospective employer.

"In a challenging job market, it's important for job seekers to strengthen their personal brand and maximize their visibility," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. "This career fair not only gives people the chance 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."

The San Diego "Reinvent Your Future" event is the second in a series of 16 career retooling events being hosted by University of Phoenix and CareerBuilder featuring Stedman Graham. The next event will take place in Phoenix on Tuesday, May 18. For more information or to register visit www.reinvent2010.com and follow us on @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. During the quarter ending November 30, 2009, 455,600 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