FutureLinks updated, easier to use

When Pitt Employment Services coordinator Danielle Scott walked into her office on Monday… When Pitt Employment Services coordinator Danielle Scott walked into her office on Monday morning, she found a heap of job listings awaiting her approval. In one weekend, employers interested in hiring Pitt students sent her applications to have 52 jobs placed on the University’s FutureLinks Web site, which allows students to post their resumes online and employers to list their job openings. The Web site contains 1,600 part-time and full-time jobs and internships and keeps on growing. So far, about 1,000 students have created accounts and uploaded their resumes onto the Web site. ‘Usage is continuing to grow for both employers and students,’ said Brian Heddleston, the manager of Pitt’s new Student Employment and Placement Assistance Office. Twenty percent more students used the FutureLinks Web site last year than the previous year. Heddleston said he expects usage to continue to increase because the student employment office revamped the site over the summer. ‘Before, students were frustrated. But now, the Web site is much more user-friendly,’ said Heddleston. Students no longer have difficulty going from page to page, and ‘from a technical standpoint, it works,’ he added. However, the budding Web site still has imperfections. ‘The site is awkward in its own way,’ said sophomore Beth Oltrogge. ‘You have to dig to find what you want.’ She did agree, though, that the Web site has improved. ‘It is better than the old system ‘mdash; anything is better than the old system,’ she said.’ About three years ago, the Web site that was known as Panther Tracks became FutureLinks. This summer, when a different company began administering the Web site, the University updated the FutureLinks Web site. Heddleston estimates that the site’s new design convinced employers to post an additional 145 listings.’ ‘We have seen quite a few positions posted because we are now tied in with a national system,’ he said. Companies from across the country peruse the pool of resumes uploaded on the Web site to fill vacant positions. But don’t be fooled: FutureLinks differs from sites like Monster.com. Only Pitt students can post their resumes on FutureLinks. Thus, it’s easier for University employees to hook students up with potential employers.’ ‘ ‘ If a student expresses a strong interest in a position and does not hear back from the employer after applying, then a Pitt employment development specialist will follow up with the company. ‘That way, students’ resumes will not go into the black hole of resumes,’ said Heddleston. FutureLinks consolidates application process FutureLinks makes it easier for students to apply to multiple places. ‘FutureLinks centralizes the job-search process for students,’ said Matthew Galmoff, a student placement office employee. Because students can search for jobs by major, opportunities at a range of companies turn up in searches. According to Galmoff, students often find that companies that they never thought would hire a student majoring in subjects such as chemistry, for example, actually do have jobs for them. Employment specialists suggest uploading resume soon Heddleston said 99.9 percent of the job listings require applicants to upload a resume and a cover letter. Other art-based positions may also request a portfolio. Applicants can also upload writing samples to accompany their resume and cover letter. However, students who created accounts and uploaded resumes last year may have to re-update their accounts and re-upload their resumes because the system was updated in July. ‘Students should upload their resumes as soon as possible,’ said Heddleston. Companies traveling to Pittsburgh for the Career Fair, which takes place next week, have already scheduled on-campus interviews and information sessions with students this week..