Pitt provides new help in job search

Pitt helps students set up the classes they need to succeed, but that’s not all it does…. Pitt helps students set up the classes they need to succeed, but that’s not all it does. Pitt, through Career Services, is helping students better identify and connect with potential employers for lucrative positions upon graduation.

In an effort to ascertain the needs of area employers and familiarize businesses with the career-related facilities provided by the University, Career Services hosted the networking event “Career Services Partners Connect” Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the William Pitt Union.

The event was organized as an unveiling of Career Services’ new “Employer Services Group” geared toward representatives from companies including PNC, ALCO, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Sky Bank, Dollar Bank, Giant Eagle and others.

“We wanted to create a new group within Career Services that would be dedicated to employers’ needs and to finding better positions for students,” Career Services representative Kat Bernazzoli said.

Bernazzoli feels that Pitt students already recognize Career Services as an important resource.

“We have about 1,500 students show up for our job fairs, roughly 500 students take part in on-campus interviews, and we see a considerable number of students from the freshman class, who come for workshops,” Bernazzoli said.

Through the Employer Services Group, Employment Development Manager John Smith hopes to spread students’ recognition of Career Services to new employers as well as strengthen existing bonds with current businesses that work with Pitt.

“My group was established in September of last year, and between then and December, we’ve found 406 new opportunities and identified 123 new companies,” Smith said. “So it’s a very aggressive program.”

According to Smith, students of all interests can be connected to employers desiring their specific skills through Career Services and Pitt’s Panther TRACS program.

“We get a variety of positions to suit all majors,” Smith said.

“In fact, when speaking to employers, we often find out about new positions they offer. For example, if we’re talking to Giant Eagle about business positions, we may also discover computer science opportunities that they have.”

Once Career Services has spoken with companies to identify their specific needs and available positions, those opportunities are posted in the Panther TRACS database.

Students and faculty registered with Panther TRACS may then access and review the jobs posted and apply for those that best fit their skills and interests.