UP Switchboard | University of Portland

UP Switchboard

Switchboard is an online platform that makes it simple for UP students, alumni, parents, and community members to easily connect with one another for the purpose of asking for help and offering support in areas such as career networking, hosting, housing, advice, and events.

Your Switchboard involvement can be beneficial to your own student and others.

When you make a connection on Switchboard you’re not only helping out another UP community member, you’re also inspiring others to make connections of their own - connections that may benefit your own student!

How to get started:

  • Sign up for Switchboard at https://up.switchboardhq.com
  • Once your email address is verified, you can start posting an Ask or Offer
  • Select a location, choose a category, and use tags to make your post more effective
  • Comment on other posts to start engaging with others

 Tips and tricks for effective posts on Switchboard:

  • Are you looking for inspiration on what to post? Below are a few ways you can help:
    • Offer career networking opportunities (ex: offer to be a mentor in your field, offer to meet someone for an informational interview, or offer to share career advice over coffee)
    • Host a student while they are in town (ex: offer to host students while they are interviewing for jobs in new cities or offer to host students not traveling home for the holidays)
  • Share details about who you are and your relationship to UP. Are you a parent of a current student or the parent of an alumni? What is your student’s class year?
  • If your post is career related, tell us about your work experience. Are you currently employed at a company or just knowledgeable about the field?
  • Include specific actionable details about what you are offering. If you’re interested in sharing your expertise in a field, are you willing to go on an informational interview with a student? If you are not close to campus, are you open to a Skype meeting or phone call? The more we know the better!
  • Let members of the UP community know the best way to get in contact with you. Ending your post with a simple “Feel free to message me on Switchboard to chat - Looking forward to hearing from you.” or providing an email address to reach you at can spur some wonderful conversations.
  • For more helpful information about Switchboard, check out their FAQ page: https://switchboardhq.com/faq/

As a Reminder:

Please do not post on behalf of others and please do not use Switchboard for solicitation purposes. 

Do you have an internship or job opportunity that you’re interested in posting? Check out Handshake!

In addition to Switchboard, UP also utilizes Handshake, an online job portal. If you are an employer looking to hire UP students or alumni, part-time and full-time employment and/or internship opportunities can be posted on Handshake.