The Boston College Career Center has introduced two apps, both created by third-party companies, to make it easier for students to access career information. The first app, Careers by Symplicity, was created a year and a half ago and is the mobile version of EagleLink, an online portal that allows students to search for jobs, connect with alumni, and sign up for events. The second app, LinkedIn Students, was created in last April and was offered to BC students in the fall based on a partnership between the University and LinkedIn. The Career Center will increase its marketing efforts for the apps this spring by advertising it to students at career fairs.
Careers by Symplicity is a mobile app that allows students to access EagleLink on the go. Based on students’ information, the app suggests jobs, internships, and alumni with whom to connect, as well as providing general career tips.
The app allows students to do everything they could on the EagleLink website. Students can sign up for appointments with career counselors or RSVP for networking events. It will also give students notifications to remind them of an event they signed up for. The app is useful during career fairs, when students can easily look up an employer or the specifics of what a job entails.
The app also displays hundreds of potential internships for students to apply for based on their majors and interests. It gives information on the company, due dates for applications, and contact information.
Released this past fall, the LinkedIn Students app is only available to students at 13 pilot schools, of which BC is one. The app is for students who are interested in LinkedIn and the professional world but do not want to be under pressure to create a profile.
“It’s meant to be exploratory,” said Lisa White, the associate director of engagement at the Career Center. “Before you even want to create a LinkedIn profile, you can download this app so you can get specific advice that is tailored to you based off of what you’re studying.”
To pick the 13 pilot schools, LinkedIn looked at a number of factors, including how many students on campus use LinkedIn, how well the university uses it, and the number of members the university has on its LinkedIn career community page. The Career Center has approximately 13,000 members on the page and expressed interest in piloting the beta version of the app with LinkedIn.
Another app that the Career Center wants students to utilize is Interview Stream. The app contains practice interview technology in which students can record themselves through their own computer webcam and be prompted with questions. Students can then save recordings of their responses and review them with a Career Center counselor. This app helps students prepare for video and Skype interviews.
“These apps make it easier for students to access our career information and resources from wherever they are and at any time of day, any day of the week,” said Rachel Greenberg, director of career education and strategy at the Career Center.
Featured Image by Amelie Trieu / Heights Editor
