CCAN stands for the Career Contact & Alumni Network. It's a way for you to connect with JMU by providing current students advice and assistance that can help with their career development. From identifying a major to determining a career field of interest, everyone can benefit from this type of resource. Our students want to learn more about what you are doing in the world of work and by registering as a JMU Career Contact you can make that connection.

How do I create an account in CCAN?

Go to http://www2.monstertrak.monster.com/students/unreg/contact.html?user_type=emp and select Virginia and James Madison University. Click on "Sign Up" and from the main menu page, select Career Contact and Alumni Network. Select "Register" and from this point, you will follow the prompts to establish an account and input your relevant information for your educational background and career field. If prompted, enter Madison as the school password.

Who has access to my information?

The JMU Career and Academic Planning staff, and those JMU students who log in and search the database for mentors will have access.  As a mentor you can also edit your information and have the option of creating a profile at up to 5 schools, but are not required to do so.

What's my commitment?

You are...

• Volunteering to provide career and job search information and advice to currently enrolled students who take the initiative to contact you.
• Specifying if you are also willing to provide referrals and/or speak to student organizations and classes.
• Determining how many contacts you will accept on a monthly basis.
• Deciding if you are willing to have students (and alumni) visit your work location for a shadowing experience.
• Designating a preferred method of contact (e-mail, phone or mail) for students to seek information and assistance you offer.
• Using the registration link to update your information, after registration. To deactivate your account, you can contact meadowdr@jmu.edu.

What are students looking for when they search for mentors?

All kinds of career information and help, but primarily:

Career options associated with their majors.

• We encourage these students to use college major as their search criterion when looking for mentors.
• This process often teaches students that career fields of mentors are not always directly related to undergraduate majors.
• Students decide whether or not to contact individual mentors; this often depends on whether the mentor's job description sounds interesting and understandable to the student.
• It is helpful if you can provide complete information in your job description that is understandable to students with limited knowledge of the work world.

Contacts who work in a field in which they'd like to find an internship or permanent position.

• We encourage these students to use occupation or work setting as their search criterion when looking for mentors.
• Students' interests vary widely and some students don't know how to put a label on their career interests and are looking for ideas.
• The more explicit information you provide in your job description, understandable to students, the more you will guide students in knowing if you can provide the kind of information they seek.

Thank you for your participation in this vital resource for JMU students. If you have further questions about CCAN, please contact Denise Meadows, Employer Relations & Recruiting Services Coordinator, at 540-568-6229 or meadowdr@jmu.edu.