Current students and new graduates, who are facing one of the worst job markets in recent times, have a new resource that allows them to search for internships and first-time professional opportunities. The Vanderbilt Intern and Professional (VIP) Network—a secure, Web-based database of job postings and leads—has been developed by the Vanderbilt Career Center in partnership with the Office of Alumni Relations.
The VIP Network allows alumni to submit job postings and job leads from their companies directly into the database, which then can only be accessed by students. The database went live for alumni submissions on March 2; students will be able to start accessing the Web site March 16.
“We are very excited about our partnership with the Vanderbilt Career Center and the opportunity for alumni to help our students at this critical time,” says James Stofan, associate vice chancellor for alumni relations. Cindy Funk, director of the Career Center, adds, “We encourage alumni who have job information to visit the VIP Network and support our students, who are struggling this year due to the challenging job market.”
The Vanderbilt Career Center also announces expanded services for alumni through a partnership with Optimal Products, a Web-based suite of job-search tools, which is used by more than 600 career centers nationwide. These products can be accessed from the “Alumni” section of the Career Center Web site. They include a résumé and cover letter builder, interview practice (which can be recorded and reviewed), online portfolio posting, a skills assessment tool, and a Web site builder for résumés. An alumni e-mail address is required to access these services.