Pitt Career Services Office Ramping Up Its Efforts to Help Graduates Land Jobs

As Pitt students’ academic credentials improve, so does the University’s approach to helping its graduates land good first professional jobs.

Pitt’s Office of Career Services will introduce its new Employer Services Group during an event, “Career Services Partners Connect,” from 10 a.m. to
1 p.m. Jan. 11 in Pitt’s William Pitt Union Lower Lounge.

Comprising five professionals, the Employer Services Group will take a consultative approach to helping employers meet their recruiting needs. During the event, the group, dedicated to helping employers match Pitt graduates with their jobs, will share its vision for delivering more efficient and effective service to employers.

“Through the integration of academic advising and career services, we have been very successful in encouraging students to think about their career goals and in providing the systems and resources to support them from the moment they enter the University,” said Kathy Humphrey, Pitt vice provost and dean of students. “Now, we are strengthening the employer side of the equation in order to maximize our connections, build additional employer relationships, and, ultimately, further increase our effectiveness in placing students.”

“We plan to meet and exceed the expectations of employers,” said Marvin Roth, director of Pitt’s Career Services office. “We’ve made a commitment to elevate our program to reflect the University’s successes of the last 10 years.”

A key factor in the group’s ability to address companies’ needs is Career Services’ close network with the various schools and academic departments at Pitt. Career consultants and staff liaisons maintain communication links with faculty and administrators in each school.

“Career Services Partners Connect” will include a program to educate both employers and the University about Career Services’ new recruiting approach, designed so Pitt representatives are knowledgeable about an employer’s business, assuring the right candidates are recruited for particular companies.

The group’s aim is to be proactive and responsive, down to the last detail. Services include staff introductions and a needs analysis at the business or organization, databases of students’ and graduates’ résumés, internship and job opening postings on Pitt’s interactive career Web site, and on-campus interviewing (OCI) experiences. For additional needs or special requests, the Employer Services Group will post the OCI job, provide a résumé referral, identify a student group or faculty member in a particular field of study, or arrange a lunch with faculty.
In addition, Career Services offers the following systems and programs:

On-campus recruiting in newly refurbished interview rooms;

An online database for posting positions, facilitating student access to on-campus interviews;

Four job fairs (two each in the fall and spring);

Careers with …,” enhanced information sessions between students and employers; and

Employer-presented workshops to explore job search topics or provide mock interviews. For more information, visit www.careers.pitt.edu.