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MCC students in need of résumé and job search assistance don’t need to go far in order to get the help they need this fall.

As part of a new partnership with West Michigan Works!, Melody DeJohn, a Talent Development Specialist at WMW, will be present on MCC’s Sidney campus twice per month in the Woodside Café. She hopes that her presence on campus will help to get the organization’s resources and information out into the community.

“When I was going to school, I didn’t really know about West Michigan Works!,” DeJohn said. “So I want to make more people aware of our job search services so they can take advantage of them.”

DeJohn will be in the Woodside Café from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the following dates for the rest of the fall semester:

·      Wednesday, Nov. 4

·      Tuesday, Nov. 17

·      Wednesday, Dec. 2

·      Tuesday, Dec. 15

Students can drop in at their convenience to find out more about what West Michigan Works! has to offer and to check their job search resources. DeJohn specializes in résumé and cover letter writing, which has become quite critical to understand in the budding age of AI. According to DeJohn, numerous employers now utilize an AI applicant tracking system for reading through résumés. If those résumés don’t meet certain criteria, they could be automatically discarded before the applicant has a chance to get to the interview process. With the resources and knowledge behind West Michigan Works!, DeJohn is confident that she can help MCC students with today’s nuanced job application process.

"Some employers are using applicant tracking systems with AI that look for a résumé to be written a specific way, or it’s going to filter you out before you even get to a human,” she said. “It’s constantly changing and can be a barrier to employment for job seekers.”

DeJohn’s background in human resources has involved a high volume of recruiting and hiring employees, so her experience will be a valuable resource for students to lean on.

“Because there’s 100s of applicants to jobs per day, employers are needing the AI system to filter through them. It’s a huge update within the labor market,” DeJohn said.

MCC Career Advisor Amy Zdanowski regularly advises students to utilize the services of West Michigan Works!. Now, the students can get a better understanding of the organization’s services without making the trip to one of their regional offices.

"This partnership is a win for our students because it gives them direct access to a workforce expert without having to leave campus,” Zdanowski said. “Instead of duplicating services, we're leveraging the strengths of a community partner that already has a proven track record of helping people succeed. We're always looking for ways to better connect education and employment. This partnership helps bridge that gap and gives students more support as they prepare for life after MCC."

Each week, DeJohn will have lists of Weekly Hot Jobs from organizations in both Montcalm and Ionia County.

“All of the listings go right to the company’s career page,” DeJohn said. “So instead of having to wonder if the position is still available or legitimate, when you click on something through our website, it takes you right to the employer’s career page, so you know for a fact if it is still active.”

Students who are looking for more career-focused guidance can check out the 2026 HotJobs! List, which DeJohn will have accessible during each visit.

“It’s a big list we put together every year to tell what jobs in our seven-county region are in demand,” she said. “We do the research to make sure we know what jobs have an average growth rate of 8.5 percent, have at least 50 annual openings, and have wages at or above $15.34.”

Students who would like more in-depth services and involvement with West Michigan Works! can schedule an appointment with DeJohn at a WMW Service Center, located in Greenville or Ionia.

For more information, contact DeJohn atmdejohn@westmiworks.orgor 616-336-2195.