All posts by Carissa Roldan

What Does Your Resume Say About You?

how can brillance be captured in one page resume
Career News, Employment Preparation, Events

What is a Resume?

A resume is a carefully written concise summary, containing relevant information on your education, experience, and knowledge areas.  First, you will want to choose a template that works for you.  At St. Petersburg College, we have Optimal Resume as a tool to help our student’s.  In Optimal resume, you will find 100’s of sample resumes as well as templates you can use.  Choosing a template helps with the formatting and spacing which is very important when building your resume. 

Personalize my resume for every job? Ain't nobody got time for that.

Five Important Tips of Resume Writing

  1. Take time to reflect. Whether you are tailoring your resume for a new potential job, or program at a college, make sure to be honest with yourself, to get a clear and specific understanding in what you want out of your next professional life.  Be sure to express your passion in your resume!
  2. Write out the basic. Your contact information includes your full name, email address, telephone number, and if applicable your url to your LinkedIn account.  Make sure to use your formal name or your shortened first name. Use a phone number that you actually answer and have an appropriate and polite voice mail set up. In addition, be sure that you are checking your voice mails regularly, if you are actively job searching. Lastly, provide a professional email address. An email address like lastname.firstname@email.com.
  3. Do not be generic with your resume. When tailoring your resume to that specific job, make sure to write out your experience and skill based on the job/role description. Your bullet points should be a distinctive measurable accomplishment statement, rather than a copy paste from the job description. A bullet point sample method to follow is the PAR statement. Project + Action = Results.
  4. Write out your hard/soft skills. Remember to list both the hard skills and the soft skills they are both very important.  The hard skills are the teachable abilities or technical skills that are measurable and easy to advertise. Here are some hard skills data analysis, accounting, event planning, and/or graphic design. Then soft skills are more subjective interpersonal skills that can fit into a company’s work culture. Some soft skills are creativity, customer service, communication, problem solving.
  5. Always remember to proofread! Making sure your resume is clear from grammatical errors, consistent with the format, and accurate on information shows employers that you attentive to details. Always make sure to get a second pair of eyes after you reviewed your resume to be safe.
Resume checklist

For more on resume tips make sure to tune in to our upcoming workshop, Wednesday, May 27th.  Head to the Career Service Hub in Workplace for the details!

Authors Destinymarie Alicea and Carissa Roldan

The Career Center and so Much More

career center
Career Exploration, Events, Featured,

As a career professional, Carissa Roldan meets students all the time. They come in seeking help and advice at the Career Center. Faculty bring in their classes for a workshop or seminar. Sometimes students come in just for a quiet place or conversation. One student, Samantha Scarpa, sticks out as one that will remembered for a long time.

I first met Samantha a year ago when I started as a Career Outreach Specialist at the Tarpon Springs campus. She would regularly come in to the Career Center to use one of the study rooms. After seeing her a few times, we started to chat. She was not coming in for any career advice, just a quiet place to be. Samantha is a very strong and driven young lady. Me being very social, I would chat with her about her career goals from time to time. She first mentioned being interested in business and I gave her some job shadowing information. During the next semester, she started having an interest in the medical field. She had already used her networking skills and set up to meet with a medical professional to see exactly what they do! Good job Samantha. I then asked Samantha to share what she thought of the Career Center and the services. 

Here are Samantha’s thoughts about the Career Hub:

Samantha Scarpa
Samantha Scarpa – Tarpon Springs Campus student

It has been about a year and a half now since I started coming to the Career Center. My name is Samantha Scarpa, and I am studying to be in the medical field. The Career Center for me has been a resourceful outlet that allows me to fully expand my knowledge. It has helped me chase my ambitions. The study rooms provide a quiet space that helps me to focus completely on any tasks I must accomplish each day. I love that Career Outreach Specialist, Carissa Roldan, helps improve my career path through each discussion. Carissa keeps me on track and gives me access to job opportunities connected to my career choice. I enjoy my time in the Career Center and know that it will always be there for my convenience. I appreciate the help I receive to reach my goals. I encourage everyone to stop in and check it out!

Carissa says, whether you need some career advice or just a quiet place to study, remember that many campuses have a Career Center. While you are there take advantage of all the resources and tools that we have to offer our SPC students! 

Tools Include:

  • Focus2– Major Exploration and Career Planning for College Students
  • Handshake– helps all students find meaningful careers
  • Optimal Resume– teach job readiness skills, deliver high quality career services, and improve results

Thank you Samantha Scarpa for your contribution to this article.

Click here to find a career professional on your campus or online.

Follow us on Instagram or Twitter at #careerspc,  #spcintern,  #workforcespc.

Are You a Business Major?

Jobs art
Career Exploration, Career News, Employment Preparation, Events, Featured,

Are you thinking about a business degree or certificate? Are you drawn to finance and insurance, marketing, human resources, hospitality or operations? This is an event for you. Come meet with employers and faculty to discuss your business career plan.

Students, are you currently seeking a business degree or certificate? This is an event for you too. Come dressed to make a professional first impression.  Brush up on your elevator speech. Bring your resume and meet with employers who are looking for you. 

business expo flyer
Business Expo and Career Fair Flyer

This Business Expo and Career Fair has something for everyone.  

Save the date:  April 23, 2019

Where:  SPC EpiCenter  – first floor – 13805 58th St N., Clearwater, FL 33760

Time: 3:00 – 7:00pm

Three exciting opportunities at one College of Business event!

  1. Business Expo
  2. Risk Management Insurance Career Fair (Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!)
  3. Hospitality & Tourism Career Expo and Job Fair (Information and more jobs!)

At the Business Expo:

  • Meet the College of Business Dean, Faculty, and staff – ask about your programs and get insight into applying classroom knowledge to the real world of work.
  • Meet with Advisors and Financial aid – Questions on registering or applying for aid will be answered.
  • Mini speaker series will be infused throughout the event.  Come hear from experts.
  • Learn about the different certificates and degrees SPC offers.  Which one(s) works best for you?

Job in the Career Fair:

  • Network with Employers – It’s not (just) what you know but who you know. 
  • Come meet “who’s” in the business world. 
  • Resume reviews – Get expert advice on updating your resume from experts in Career Services and the College of Business.
  • LinkedIn Headshot – Come dressed professionally for that perfect picture. 

Students that are interested in this event please RSVP!

Whether you have declared your business major or are still trying to decide, this event if for you.  We look forward to meeting you on Tuesday, April 23rd at the Epicenter.

To request more information about this event, please contact Tracy Garrett.

 To request accessibility accommodations, please contact TJ Williams.

A special thank you to Stephanie Henningsen, Student Life and Leadership on the Clearwater Campus, for your contribution of this article.


Follow us on Instagram or Twitter at #careerspc,  #spcintern,,  #workforcespc.

Career Fair at Tarpon Springs Campus

Career Fair 2019 Graphic
Events, Featured,

Are you looking for job? Do you need tips? Trying to start your career? The SPC Tarpon Springs Campus has a Career Fair coming up!

2019 Career Fair Tarpon Springs flier

Date:  Wednesday, February 20

Time:  3:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Location:  SPC Tarpon Campus, Fine Arts Building-FA 132

Some participating employers: 

  • Wells Fargo
  • Tech Data
  • J.P. Morgan Chase
  • GE Healthcare
  • Nielson Media
  • SPC Workforce programs

In addition, Career Source Pinellas and Pasco will be here to share their free resources!

Whether this is your first Career Fair, or you are an experienced professional, stop by the Tarpon Springs Campus Spring 2019 Career Fair. For more information about the Career Fair contact Jackie Addis.

There is no need to RSVP just come dressed to impress with your resume ready! The Career Fair is open to all SPC students, alumni, and the public.

Prepare for the Career Fair

TS career fair prep workshop poster

Don’t feel like you are ready for the Career Fair? Come get prepared with the SPC career professionals in the Career Hub!

Date:  Wednesday, February 20

Time:  12:30 pm – 2:00 pm

Location:  SPC Tarpon Career Hub-NU 460

  • Brush up on your networking skills
  • Check your appearance
  • Research employers attending
  • Make sure your resume is ready

For more information about the PREP workshop contact Carissa Roldan.

Need something to wear?

For female students, Woman on the Way will have a small pop up shop at the PREP workshop just in case you need a professional outfit for the Career Fair!  For more information, contact Rosa Edwards-Harris. 

For male students, if you are in need of men’s professional clothing (suits, button up collared shirts, jackets, slacks, shoes, belts, and ties) the MAX Clothing Bank is a great option. A small selection of professional attire will be available at the prep workshop. The best way to ensure we have your size is to plan ahead.  Contact your assigned Career and Academic Advisor, or Student Life Coordinator at your campus about ordering your specific size from the full MAX Clothing Bank located at the Allstate Center. 

The only requirement is that you are a current SPC student. A staff member will complete a survey on your behalf and the items will be sent to that staff member via interoffice mail to their campus. They will notify you so there is no need to travel to another campus.  For more information on this option, contact Kerry Carter.

MAX club clothing rack

Come to the Career Fair. Stop in to the Career Hub. Get prepared and get a job. I hope to see you there!