New system allows students to connect with employers

Students at Southeast Missouri State University seeking for a potential job or internship have the opportunity to connect with employers through Southeast's newly service, REDConnect, created by Career Services. Career Services will hold a career and internship fair and kick-starter networking event for students of all majors.

Launched back in October, REDConnect is an online recruiting tool that helps strengthen the connection between students and employers. The system helps students search process for internships and job opportunities, both on and off campus, easier. Registered employers also see this benefitting them as well, allowing them to post internship and job opportunities directly to Southeast students.

Students who are interested in having an additional one-on-one interaction with employers the day before, known as the kick-starter networking event, will need to upload their resume through REDConnect's career fair resume book by Feb. 24. This will enable employers to look through uploaded resumes and reach out to students. The resume book gives registered employers access to see it. The deadline also helps inform how many students will show up, who made the deadline and who can enter for the experience.

"We are utilizing the career fair resume book and REDConnect for students to interact in a casual networking environment with anticipating employers who are going to be at the fair," CJ Yerington, coordinator, career planning and assessment of Career Services, said.

The resume book is a resource that both students and employers are given through REDConnect. Students are given the ability to upload their resume in different resume books, such as a designated degree resume book. When employers make an account through REDConnect, they have access to all the resume books and can remember students from the career fair.

"All students are welcome to come to the career and internship fair," Joyce Hunter, coordinator, outreach and events of Career Services, said. "They don't have to upload anything. All that students need to do is show up professionally dressed."

Currently there are 1400 students who have activated their REDConnect accounts. Three hundred employers have established an account as well has roughly 120 alumni.

"Since we've launched in October, we've already had 109 jobs posted and 31 internship opportunities and there's currently 83 opportunities that are still active in the system," Yerington said.

"As of this morning, we have about 44 employers already signed up for the career fair and around 21 have signed up for the kick-starter networking event the evening before," Hunter said.

Freshmen and sophomores are encouraged to come out so that when it comes time to look for a job, students will be comfortable with interacting with employers. If a student shows interest with an employer early and the employer see's that the student is still interested a couple years later, it can potentially help the student find a career. Once a student graduates, they will have access to their accounts as long as the university continues to provide it.

Students who cannot attend at either the kick-starter networking event or the career and internship fair can still upload their resumes and connect with employers.

"This is particularly helpful for students who may be at the regional campuses that couldn't come or maybe stuck in an ice storm," Hunter said. "It's more opportunities to connect and that's what we're all about."

The kick-starter networking event will be from 5-7 p.m., March 5 at the Show Me Center Meeting Room.

The career and internship fair will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., March 6 at the Student Recreation Center- North.

For more information, check out the career fair link semo.edu/careers/46891.htm.

Students who have not activated their REDConnect accounts and are interested can do so here semo.experience.com/experience/login.

"REDConnect is this amazing resource that is here for students today, tomorrow and beyond." Hunter said.