Most people go to a Career Fair looking for a job, but American Career College medical assistant graduate Fathima Hameed isn't most people.
The day before a career fair at ACC-Los Angeles in September, Hameed was told by Career Services about a job opening. Hameed immediately applied, interviewed that day and was hired. Despite the job offer, she still wanted to attend the career fair because, as Hameed said, "as long as I'm confident and determined and out there and driven, … you're gonna get what you want in life."
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What's your dream job?
I need to be in a hospital setting, that's where I want to work — the whole shebang, the benefits, the pay and the awesome people around me. Most of all, it's building experience and being where I want to be. Because I wouldn't be here if I didn't want it. I'm going to get it, like, that's my goal. Right now I'm just building my experience — started from the bottom and see where it takes me, you know, but my main goal is to be at a hospital.
Why did you choose a career in healthcare?
I taught for eight years, preschool teacher. And I was like, 'No more. This is tearing my body apart.' So I was like let me go into the healthcare field because I have a lot of family members that have health issues and this is such a demanding and high standard jobs -- I mean career -- it's not a job. So I said let me let me take this opportunity and finish school and see where it takes me I do want to broaden it and go up to a RN position or LVN. I don't want to stop here. It's not where I'm stopping.
What motivates you?
I was actually ill for two years -- like near dying kind-of-illness so I was like, "You know what? This is it. I'm going to go into the healthcare field. When I bounce back, I'm gonna be the best nurse there is. So that's what really motivated me and my daughter you know that motivates me all the time. The medical field is my passion. I love the body. I love working under a physician, being in the healthcare field — period. It's a humbling, awesome position to have. You can't ask for anything else. It's a rewarding career. It's been a tough, tough road and I didn't give up. Everyday I'm here like they say, I lived here. I didn't stop my search so "Hello, I'm hired today. I got hired yesterday with an internist — internal medicine — so there goes my one foot in the door and I'm trying to get the other foot in the door and keep going.
How did Career Services help you?
They helped with my resume, helped with questions, helped with concerns, helped me when I'm "ahhh!" You know, it's all I can say but they've been with me the whole way through and told me 'Don't give up, don't give up' and I see that now. I was giving up for a moment but no, I see that now hard work pays off and just stay on them. They're staying on me and as long as I'm confident and determined and out there and driven, you're going to get the job done, you're gonna get what you want in life, and that's the motto with these guys.
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