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Networking as a job search tool (part 4): Tap your alumni association
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The following is part of a series about networking as a job search tool. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70 percent of all jobs are found through networking. This series addresses numerous ways to build relationships with potential employers, not necessarily in order of importance or effectiveness.
Alumni associations are pre-existing networks in which all students should participate, both during college and after graduation, to connect with professionals who share a common link – their alma mater.
Valerie J. Elston, president of DC Dawgs, the University of Georgia’s Washington, DC alumni association chapter, offers five ways students and recent graduates benefit from joining these networks:
1. Professional development. Local alumni will often host professional development workshops particular to their industry. “For example, UGA’s Grady College of Mass Communication held a new media workshop this past spring,” said Elston. “The session was free for alumni and proved a valuable networking event since both experienced professionals and recent graduates attended.”
2. Mentors. Alumni associations offer many opportunities to meet mentors in your profession. “UGA hosts a Washington Semester Program where students live and work in DC,” said Elston. “DC Dawgs partners with this program to provide students with professional mentors who can offer career advice and guidance.”
3. Casual and formal networking. Active alumni association chapters host social events for alumni and current students to mix and mingle. “These relaxed settings bring together a wide range of alumni on a regular basis, offering a prime opportunity to network for your next job or simply to seek career advice,” said Elston.
4. Utilizing professional skills. Like professional associations, joining an alumni association isn’t enough. “As president of a 3,00 person alumni association chapter, I am learning how to operate an organization, work with a team of officers and handle difficult situations that arise when members have complaints,” said Elston.
5. Exposure to various career paths. “Meeting people from a range of careers can open new doors to career paths you might not have previously considered and help you get your foot in the door,” said Elston.”
| <-- Part 3: Use social networking sites | Part 5: Find a mentor --> |
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