Texas A&M University former students now have free access to online networking and job search services through a new Web site -- AggieCareers.com -- launched in June.

The site is designed to pair A&M graduates with employers who are seeking Aggies, said Jennifer Beran, director of marketing for the Web site.

Though job seekers must be Aggie graduates, the Web site is not limited by industries or careers. The current network is strongest in engineering and business -- two colleges for which A&M is best-known -- but the site is open to employers and employees from all fields.

"AggieCareers is a way for former students to not only find a job, but ... a way for them to manage their whole career," Beran said. "It's more than just 'What's my next job? Where am I going to work?' It's really a lifelong tool you can use to better yourself."

The Web site offers a variety of career resources, including professional advising, career interest assessments, strategies for utilizing the Aggie Network and an Aggie-only career board, university officials said. Similar services previously were offered through Texas A&M's Career Center on campus, but former students had to pay a minimal fee each semester for access.

The Web site allows job seekers to post resumes and search through employment opportunities. Beran said she hoped a second function allowing companies the ability to search resumes would be up and running by the end of the year.

Companies also have the option of using AggieCareers as an executive search firm, she said.

The new site was born of a three-way partnership of A&M's Career Services, private investment group Trigon Careers and Texas Aggies in Business, Beran said. Texas Aggies in Business is an entrepreneurial program offered by the Mays Business School.

Only Bryan-based Trigon Careers put up cash for the venture, though Beran would not say how much the company invested. But each partner, she said, brings something specific to the table.

The Career Center's biggest asset is its ties to the university and its existing relationships with employers and former students. Trigon provided the start-up capital and has recruiting expertise and the ability to offer executive search services.

The Aggies in Business group ensures that there is an educational component to the initiative. With the exception of Beran and the partners, all workers are students.

"Right out of the gate, students are getting to see a company in its start-up phase. That's a huge educational experience for them," Beran said. "Also, to just get that experience working in a business setting. It's not technically an internship, but it gives students the opportunity to have a job in college that really will teach them something."

After more than two years of planning, AggieCareers.com formally was named an affiliate of Texas A&M in November. The site was launched June 12, though the first marketing blitz likely won't gear up until Aggie football season, Beran said.

Nearly 1,000 companies and roughly 5,000 job seekers have registered with the service, Beran said, adding that some matches already had been made.

"We've done some research, talked to other universities. Texas A&M is in the lead as far as career services go for former students," Beran said. "We're definitely paving the way for other universities."

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