Alumni Career Services

Frequently Asked Questions for Alumni about Nittany Lion Recruiting

On-Campus Recruiting (Interviews)

Job Listings (for employers not coming to campus)

Employer information sessions and presentations

Posting your resume in online Resume Books

Alumni must register for a Nittany Lion Recruiting account at www.sa.psu.edu/career .

I am an alumnus/a. Can I register for Nittany Lion Recruiting? Yes. As an alum, you are welcome to register for and use Nittany Lion Recruiting. You must request an account on-line at www.sa.psu.edu/career . You may select what level of service you want. There is no cost to register so you can view job postings and upload your resume for employers to view. If you wish to participate in on-campus interviewing & view the positions for which employers will be coming to interview, there is a $40 fee. All fees are good from the date of registration until the following July 31.

What happened to Nittany Lion JobLink? Nittany Lion JobLink and eRecruting no longer exist in name. These services have been incorporated in the new Nittany Lion Recruiting.

What is a Friends of Penn State (FPS) account & why do I need one? A Friends of Penn State account service provides you with a digital identity so that you can access a variety of Web-based resources and services at Penn State . Beginning with the graduating class of Spring 2004, all Penn State graduates will be automatically granted a lifetime Friends of Penn State digital identity. Your FPS Digital ID is the same as your ITS user name (xyz123). You may use this Digital ID/userID and password to register for a Nittany Lion Recruiting account. If you graduated prior to Spring 2004 and have not yet created a Friends of Penn State account, you will need to request an account. You may request a Friends of Penn State account.

Your FPS Digital ID is unique to you. As we make upgrades to Nittany Lion Recruiting, your FPS Digital ID will be used, in part, to ensure that you are eligible for and can access Nittany Lion Recruiting.

Once I register, will I have immediate access to Nittany Lion Recruiting? Your request will be processed within two (2) business days. You will receive an e-mail with your username and password, which will grant you access to Nittany Lion Recruiting.

I just graduated. Can I register for on-campus interviewing? Yes, alumni can participate in on-campus interviewing. There are several important items to remember.

•  Your OCI registration is good from your date of registration until the following July 31. If you registered for OCI as a student at any time prior to your graduation date, you will access OCI using your student log-in until July 31. Beginning August 1, 2005 , you will need to register as an alum to access OCI. There is a $40 fee to use OCI as an alum. This fee will give you access to OCI until the following July 31.

•  If an employer selects you for an interview and you want to attend, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to make alternate arrangements with the employer if you cannot participate in the on-campus interview. Please contact Career Services for the employer's information to make other arrangements. If you agree to an interview, you will expected at the interview location at the specified date and time. If you sign up but cannot attend the interview, you must cancel your interview on-line one (1) business day before the interview. Failure to appear will result in suspension of your OCI account until an apology letter is received. Subsequent failures to appear will result in the suspension of your OCI account.

•  At present most—but not all—positions for which employers are utilizing OCI are for seniors and recent graduates (1-2 years experience). We hope to have job postings suitable for alumni with additional experience available in the near future. If you are an alum with more than 2 years experience, we suggest you access the Penn State Alumni Association's Job Posting Service at www.alumni.psu.edu/career/seach for appropriate open positions.

Am I required to attend an OCI orientation session like I did when I was a student? No, as an alum, you do not need to attend an orientation session. However, you are expected to abide by all the policies and procedures set forth when you registered for Nittany Lion Recruiting.

What is the fee to use OCI? All alumni are required to pay the $40 fee to access OCI. When you register for OCI, you will receive information about the fee and where to remit payment. Payment must made by CASH or CHECK ONLY and must be received within two (2) weeks of you registration. If we do not receive payment within the allotted time frame, you will be denied access to OCI.

Where do I send my fee so I can access OCI? Make your check payable to: Penn State University, c/o Alumni Career Services, 102 Bank of America Career Services Building, University Park , PA, 16802.

At the present time we do not accept credit/debit card payments.

What is my username? Your username is your e-mail address that you entered when you registered. Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation e-mail that includes your username and a password. You will not be permitted to change your username. You should change your password immediately after logging in the first time.

What if I forget my username or password? You can request it at the alumni log-in page. Select “Forgot Password” tab.

Once I register, what will I have access to? It all depends on what you registered for. If you register for our free job posting service, you will view all public job postings by employers. You will also be permitted to upload resumes for employers to view.

If you also register for OCI and pay the required $40 fee, you will have access to the public job postings and well as all OCI job postings for which employers will be interviewing on campus. You will also be able to post resumes.

I've decided to participate in OCI but I've already registered. What do I do? Please contact the Alumni Career Services' office at 814-865-LINK (5465). We will revise your registration to include OCI access. We will also request payment from you. If we do not receive your $40 payment in the form of a check within two (2) weeks of your registration, you will be denied access to OCI.

Why can't I use my Penn State e-mail account as my username? Your Penn State e-mail account (xyz123@psu.edu) expires six (6) months after you graduate from Penn State . Because your Nittany Lion Recruiting account remains active for one year, from August 1-July 31 st , there will likely be a period of time that your Nittany Lion Recruiting account will be active but your Penn State e-mail account will have expired, precluding employers or Nittany Lion Recruiting from communicating with you. Therefore, to ensure you are able to receive and send e-mail, please provide an active alternate e-mail address.

I registered for OCI and now and employer wants to interview me. I don't live near University Park . What do I do? The best way to approach this is for you to contact the employer BEFORE you agree to the on-campus interview and ask if there is an alternative to an on-campus, in-person interview. Contact Career Services at (814) 865-2377 to request contact information for the employer. You might request a phone interview. Another potential option is to use video conferencing, if you live near a Penn State campus with video conferencing equipment or if you otherwise have access to such equipment.

What happens if I need to reschedule or cancel an interview with a prospective employer? You may change your interview time, if spaces are available, until the sign-up deadline ONLY by logging on to Nittany Lion Recruiting.

You may cancel your interview up to one (1) business day prior to the interview by logging onto Nittany Lion Recruiting. If you must cancel your appointment after the deadline, e-mail ocr@sa.psu.edu . (No phone calls are accepted). You will be blocked from accessing OCI until a letter of apology written to the employer is received at Career Services. We will send it out on your behalf. Forward your letter to the Associate Director, Recruiting and Employer Relations, 235 Bank of America Career Services Center, University Park, PA 16802.

In the event of an emergency on the day of the interview, please call 814-865-2377 to inform us. You will blocked from the accessing OCI until a letter of apology is received.

What is the difference between my FPS Digital ID and my UserID? If you graduated during or after Spring 2004, your Friends of Penn State (FPS) Digital ID and your Penn State UserID are one in the same. If you graduated before Spring 2004, you will need to create a FPS account, which will allow you to register for Nittany Lion Recruiting.

Can I still participate in Fall and Spring Career Days? Yes, alumni are welcome to participate in Fall and Spring Career Days. For upcoming career fair dates, visit the Career Services Web site.

What other career services are available to alumni? Penn State alumni may access career coaching and counseling services through the Alumni Career Services' office. Alumni can receive assistance with career and life planning, career management, professional development, interview preparation, job-search strategies, networking, informational interviewing, resume writing, and life-stage transitioning. Career coaching and consulting services are available through individual appointments.

You may also take advantage of our other services and programs including our alumni job board, the LionLink networking program, print- and web-based career resources, and regional events, programs, and specialized career workshops. For more information, visit the Alumni Career Services' Web site.

Are Nittany Lion JobLink and LionLink the same thing? No. As you will recall, Nittany Lion JobLink no longer exists, as it is now part of Nittany Lion Recruiting. LionLink is a professional networking program offered through Alumni Career Services. Penn State students and members of the Penn State Alumni Association can connect with volunteer alumni career coaches for career advice, information, and networking. You can visit the LionLink Web site for additional information.

Will I have a primary (default) résumé? Yes, the first résumé you upload will default to your primary résumé. You can change primary résumés if you upload more than one résumé. If you try to delete your primary résumé, you will be forced to select a new primary résumé.

Can I modify my résumé once I upload it? Not the uploaded one, but if you need to modify it, delete it and upload a modified version to replace the other.

Can I change the résumé I submit to a job? If the employer has not yet reviewed your application and the deadline has not passed, you can withdraw your application and then re-apply for the opportunity with a new or revised résumé .

Can I see my résumé once I upload it? Yes, you can download and view it on-line.

Can I have a two-page résumé? While we don't limit length, one page is STRONGLY recommended.

What format can I use? Virtually all formats are accepted.

Does margin size matter? Yes; it should be a minimum of 3/4 inch all the way around.

When does my Nittany Lion Recruiting account expire? Your Nittany Lion Recruiting account expires annually July 31, regardless of when you registered for your account.