They scan your resume in 30 seconds, are you ready?

Dozens showed up for a job fair in Savannah Tuesday at the University of Phoenix.  Job seekers received help writing resumes and did get to meet with a few employers who may actually be hiring.

John Seymour came in a shirt and tie and filled out job applications.  Seymour has spent quite a few years working as a computer graphter and mapmaker.  “I have worked for developers who planned communities, schools, etc.,“ he tells me. “There was a time when I would decide to change jobs and just have to decide which one I wanted, things have definitely changed,“ he says.

Seymour moved to the Savannah area from California in January of 2008.  He didn’t find much here and actually returned to San Diego for about six months recently because he could get work there.  “I’ve been back for almost two months and am looking for just about anything.  I have even gone to the day labor place trying to get work,“ he says.

Despite setbacks, Seymour and many others attending the fair seemed pretty upbeat.  “We’re all just hoping things will improve soon,“ he says.

Lisa Nucci, Unviersity of Phoenix Savannah campus director says “it can be discouraging going from interview to interview.  That’s why we wanted to have this event and see what we could do to give back and help those looking for work.“

Nucci, who says she often looks at resumes as part of her responsiblities says it’s really true that most HR people spend 20 to 30 seconds scanning a resume.  “When I’m looking at resumes, I look at it for maybe 20 seconds,“ she says.  “I look for the highlights and then I move on, so it’s really cruical to have a resume that’s up to date, accuarate, with everything spelled correctly.“