Otterbein’s little-known job and internship database for students is growing and growing fast.
The Cardinal Careers website is a searchable job and internship database for Otterbein students and while the site has been available to students for years, it now operates as a resource for finding campus jobs as well.
Companies that are primarily Ohio-based can post their available jobs and internships on the site. Students can search the listings based on their major and career interests.
Ashley Strausser, associate director and internship coordinator at the Center for Career & Professional Development said the site is growing rapidly and said that companies post their available positions on Cardinal Careers because they are interested in recruiting Otterbein talent. The system is also constantly updating the site. For example, last year more than 400 internships and 800 job opportunities were presented to students, compared to only 230 internships presented the previous year. Just since August 1, 2012, 274 positions have been posted on Cardinal Careers to date.
Strausser said that Cardinal Careers is one of Otterbein’s best-kept secrets because many students are unaware of the site and how to utilize it.
“(Cardinal Careers) is a great starting point as students begin their job or internship search … students can access it anywhere and anytime,” Strausser said.
The site has been an available resource for all active Otterbein students for nearly four years. As soon as a student is enrolled at Otterbein, he or she is able to visit Cardinal Careers and create a profile.
Amber Horton, a sociology major said “I just heard about Cardinal Careers recently. It seems like an awesome opportunity, and I plan on using it for future internships.”
Students can access the site by visiting the Otterbein website, search for “Cardinal Careers” and complete an online profile. They are then able to search for employment and internships and may also choose to receive weekly emails informing them of internship opportunities in their field.
The internship and job database is automated by a vendor called CSO, which provides similar career databases to other colleges and universities. The company’s system automates the process of managing this kind of online database. According to CSO Research Inc. website, “CSO is the only major resource for career-center automation that focuses solely on colleges and universities.”
In addition to the Cardinal Careers database, Strausser said the Center for Career & Professional Development will assist students with any questions they might have in creating their profile and searching for jobs and internships.
