Video image by Robert Sippey, CougarNews.com

College of the Canyons and The Signal newspaper will present the college’s bi-annual Job & Career fairs, which will provide local job seekers with employment opportunities in various industries and career fields.

The spring 2013 Job & Career fairs will take place at the following dates/times:

* 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, at the COC Valencia campus

* 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 8, at the COC Canyon Country campus

Both events are free and open to the public, and will feature a variety of employers seeking to fill entry, middle and upper level employment opportunities.

Job Fair attendees are encouraged to identify the companies that will be present at the fair, go to their web site to view available employment opportunities and apply online.

“With this step already completed, it will show the company representative you are serious about the position, and may increase your odds of generating a conversation or the employer taking your resume in person,” said Anthony Michaelides, director of Career Services at the college.

As with any job fair, in order to compete with other professionals, be sure to dress sharp, bring resumes, have questions ready and don’t wait to come at the very end, suggested Michaelides.

As an additional service offered to all attendees, event organizers have scheduled a series of 50-minute workshops containing tips, techniques and information for job seekers to utilize on their path to employment.

Scheduled workshops at the Valencia event will include:

* “Get LinkedIn For Your Job Search”

* “Target Your Resume and Outshine Your Competition!”

* “Why Aren’t I Getting the Job?”

Scheduled workshops at the Canyon Country event will include:

* “How to Be Proactive in Your Job Search”

* “First Impressions: How to Nail Any Interview”

The COC Career Center will also be hosting a workshop on “Job Fairs: What You Need to Know” from noon to 1 p.m. and 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, in the college’s Student Center, Room PDR-3, located on the Valencia campus.

For more information about the upcoming Spring 2013 Job & Career Fair or to view a list of participating employers and workshop information please visit www.canyons.edu/CareerCenter or call (661) 362-3286.