Debra Kelly teaches students to use LionsLink to find jobs on-and off-campus Wednesday. (Abby Hocking / Photo Assistant)

According to Debra Kelly, associate director of Recruitment, the LionsLink system run by the Office of Career Services helps students “connect in a variety of ways,” whether the job is on-campus, off-campus, or an internship.

Last Wednesday, Sept. 16, at a seminar to teach the service, Kelly said that any student can create a profile. According to Kelly, it is important that pertinent information such as class, graduation date and major be up to date at all times. It is also important students use their College e-mail addresses, or the system will classify them as alumni.

Once a profile has been created, students can upload  a resumé, and more than one resumé may be in the system at one time. If employers want a cover letter or a copy of a transcript, those documents can be uploaded as well. One tip, Kelly said, is to never delete a resumé without first uploading a new one, as this will deactivate your account.

It is important to include GPA (above 3.0), any prior experience including class projects, leadership, community service and general skills, especially a proficiency in languages or computers. Watch out for typos, and never use long sentences, Kelly said.

There are three types of job listings on LionsLink.Preselect (P), Open (O), and Collect (C). If a job a student applies for is labeled Preselect, it means the employer will be conducting a limited number of on-campus interviews and is preselecting who will be interviewed. Open indicates that anyone who applies will get an interview, but this option is rarely used. Collect means that an employer is collecting resumes at that time and may or may not call to set up an interview, Kelly said.

Students can search for job listings, but once in the system, they will also receive e-mails if internships or jobs become available in the fields specified in their profile. According to Kelly, listings are added daily.

If a student is selected for an on-campus interview and he or she does not go, his or her profile will be deleted from the system, except in the case of emergencies, Kelly said. After an on-campus interview, employers will tell Career Services what a student’s strengths and weaknesses are regarding the interview process. The student can then meet with a career counselor to discuss how to improve for his or her next interview. Career counselors can also critique resumes and discuss the pros and cons of accepting a job. Career Services has Open Hours in Forcina Hall 155 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Hours and more information regarding Career Services and Lionslink can be found at tcnj.edu/~career.