Career Connections Opportunity Board brings employers and job-seekers together

By Steve Hansen

Career Connections, the key facilitator among many of the essential career planning services already available to PLU students and alumni, celebrated its first anniversary this summer. As if to celebrate, the office is launching an essential online tool – the Career Connections Opportunity Board.

According to Executive Director of Career Connections Bobbi Hughes, the new Career Connections Opportunity Board will be the central location for all job search and internship opportunities across campus. “Opportunity” is the operative word, because Hughes says the site will eventually include volunteer opportunities as well.

“We really see it as a centralized resource to develop professional skills and experience,” she said.

The online resource will be the main location for all on-campus jobs, state work-study jobs, internships and, of course, full-time career placement.

And it won’t be just for students. Alumni are encouraged to use these resources, especially those who have graduated in the past few years. There will be plenty of opportunities for them, as well.

The site is also great for employers. According to Hughes, in the past, if a company had multiple offerings to post – say, an internship and a full-time position – they would often have to go to separate locations to post the announcement. Now, both students and employers can all go to the same place.

There are also numerous tools on the site. For instance, there are tools for improving your resume, following up after an interview, and eventually even a program that allows you to practice interviewing skills via a web cam. You will be able to record yourself in a practice interview, watch a replay – even send to Career Connections staff for a critique.

In addition, Career Connections Opportunity Board is accessed with your e-pass and linked directly to PLU’s banner system, so that students do not have to enter basic information over and over again. It can also connect directly to LinkedIn and Facebook, so that it is easy to build contacts, make connections and find more job opportunities.

“I think students will find the Career Connections Opportunities Board an invaluable resource in their job search and overall professional development,” said Hughes. “It will enhance their connections with employers, and in this job market your connections are your most important asset.”

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To find the Career Connections Opportunity Board, go to www.plu.edu/studentemployment, and click on the link.

To learn more about Career Connections, visit at www.plu.edu/career-connections. Bobbi Hughes can be reached at 253-535-8268, or at hughesbr@plu.edu.