San Diego City College hosted the Abriendo las Puertas Hiring Panel on Wednesday, Oct. 1, in R-109 for members of the campus and the local community.
The event paid tribute to Hispanic Heritage Month by bringing together the community to learn about the hiring and interview process.
Claudia Diaz, who is also the dean for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Anti-racism and Social Justice, shared her experience of achieving her position in higher education.
“I lived in Mexico until I was 22 years old,” Diaz said,“so my biggest struggle was getting to know the cultural norms in higher education and what to say in an interview.”
Diaz began her journey to work for the district when she moved to the United States.
The hiring panel featured staff members from City, including Mike Lopez, physics and astronomy professor, Claudia Sanchez, administrative assistant and Diaz.
The panelists shared their knowledge about job interviews and provided advice on how individuals could navigate the process.
“As you are interviewing, you are making sure you’re talking about yourself, the things that you have done well and doing so in the most concrete way possible,” Diaz said.
Diaz also expressed that shared experiences are meant to make the interview process easier to understand.
“This event is to be able to demystify what happens in the interview process and application process,” Diaz said.
A variety of people attended the event, such as City College faculty members, students and alumni.
Bliss Vasquez, a former City College student, was formerly an outreach ambassador on campus in 2016 before finishing their degree at the University of California, San Diego.
Vasquez attended the event to find ways to return to City and become more involved with the institution.
“Seeking support for the endeavors that you desire is important,” Vasquez said. “I feel it was important for me to hear what the culture is like now and what the elements are like.”
Students are encouraged to attend any upcoming hiring panel to gain resources and information regarding the interview and hiring process.
“The importance of showing up to an event can be the difference in someone getting a job, an internship or a connection,” Vasquez said.
If you are looking to attend the next hiring panel, you can stay up to date with future events from the San Diego City College Career Pathways Series.
