Career Services launches online careerLINKS mentoring program

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/career-services1.jpg” caption=”Angela Fortino, employer relations officer at Career Services. File photo.”]Career Services opened its doors and welcomed McMaster staff to the launch of the new careerLINKS online mentoring program on April 27.

The program allows McMaster students and recent alumni to search the database of mentors to gain practical insights into careers as well as advice on how to determine a career path.

The careerLINKS program began in the Faculty of Social Sciences in 2002. Over the past five years, Angela Fortino, employer relations officer at Career Services, has grown the program from approximately 90 mentors to over 350 career professionals.

Until recently, students were required to visit the Career Services office in person to obtain mentor contact information, but the new online program is more convenient for students.

“By putting all of the information online, students have access to career mentors 24 hours a day and seven days a week,” said Fortino. “We are also quite excited because by moving to an online format, we have been able to add new features to the careerLINKS program.”

The program gives students access to mentors without a long-term commitment or extensive matching process.

Students can access a maximum of six mentors at any given time and easily search by degree type, occupation, company and national occupation code. The site will also keep a personal record of mentors on file so that students can maintain the professional network they are building while at McMaster.

Staff or faculty interested in finding out more about this program are encouraged to contact Fortino at fortino@mcmaster.ca. Online demonstrations are available by request. To access the careerLINKS program, please visit our website.