By Katie RessmeyerThe Daily Northwestern

With resumes to perfect, cover letters to write and seemingly never-ending deadlines to meet, the job search process can spoil plans for senior year slacking.

Enter CareerCat, a new Web site that attempts to make the leap into the real world just a little bit easier.

CareerCat, a program run by University Career Services, organizes on-campus recruitment. The Web site, which was introduced this September, has allowed Career Services to streamline the search for both internships and permanent jobs.

Students who access CareerCat can apply for on-campus interviews and electronically send resumes and cover letters. CareerCat also posts on-campus jobs that are independent of the NU work study program.

The Web site is used by Career Services to organize career fairs and e-mail students about job deadlines and selection.

“It is an effective and efficient way to connect students and employers,” said Lonnie Dunlap, director of Career Services.

Students have the option of applying to employers directly through CareerCat or by using MonsterTRAK, a program that played a larger role in the Northwestern job hunt before the introduction of CareerCat.

CareerCat allows Career Services to closely match students’ interests and goals with a fitting profession, Dunlap said.

“It helps us individualize how we can reach students,” she said.

But not all NU students have been able to reap the benefits. Weinberg senior Brenna Killeen, an art major, said she hasn’t used the program because most of the jobs don’t fit her major.

“I should look at it, but the system in place has more consulting jobs,” Killeen said.

Although Killeen and her friends have attended the Career Services fairs, she said she hasn’t heard many seniors talking about CareerCat.

Career Services staffers are working to promote CareerCat at all of their activities, Dunlap said.

They have held a number of tutorial sessions to help students use CareerCat, although Dunlap said the program is intuitive for students. Career Services is also planning sessions for National Career Development Month in November and help tables at Norris to further promote the new service.

Other students have experienced problems with the software technology.

“It’s a bit frustrating,” said Weinberg senior Anna Ashbaugh. “It could be more user friendly and easier to maneuver.”

Ashbaugh said she has experienced logistical problems with CareerCat trying to keep track of documents required by employers, and that Career Services has also posted incorrect due dates for resumes that must be turned in to employers.

In addition, Career Services could do a better job keeping students informed about which employers are coming to campus and when they will arrive, Ashbaugh said.

Although there have been problems during the first month of the program, specifically with the planning of on-campus interviews, Dunlap said the overall response has been positive thus far.

“We’re very happy with it,” Dunlap said. “Employers are also pleased.”

Dunlap said many of the initial problems with the program have been worked out, but Career Services plans to update any new features of the software.

Reach Katie Ressmeyer at [email protected].