How to Use Your Alumni Association to Find a Job

How to Use Your Alumni Association to Find a JobHow to Use Your Alumni Association to Find a Job4Many schools provide alumni associations not only as an incentive for attending the school, but to add value to a persons time at the university and the work they put into obtaining their degree. Some of the great programs and resources offered by alumni associations are listed belowHow to use your alumni association to find a jobSchool WebsiteBefore you can move further into your alumni association, you need to get the scoop. Check out the schools website and search for the alumni section. Most schools have an entire area of the site dedicated to alumni and the resources offered. Look for departments or sections like Alumni Career Services, Alumni Services, or Alumni Affairs.Make ContactIn addition to checking out the online alumni facts, information, and resources, dont be afraid to ring up the dedicated career advisors and counselors they have available. Sometimes you can meet in perso n, but, for the most part, a telephone-based meeting is enough. A career counselor or advisor can help connect you with others in the school or the alumni association, as well as keep you up to date on recent events. And dont forget that they are a great resource to get tips and advice for taking your career to the next level.Online CommunitiesWith most schools operating some form of a virtual platform, most alumni associations offer an online social community similar to other social media sites. These online alumni communities are a great way to connect and network with other alumni members.Networking EventsSince networking is one of the best ways to find a job, attending networking events hosted by your alumni association can connect you with fellow alumnus. While the online community is also a great tool, attending networking events and connecting face-to-face can add value to the experience.Career PortalsAnother great feature of alumni associations is that they often operate onl ine career portals as well. Just as they partner with employers and companies for networking events, many do the same with their career portals. Not only do you have the ability to browse open jobs, many of the partnering companies will use the career portal to source ideal candidates. This is one of the easiest ways to use your alumni association to find a job.Career WebinarsCareer webinars are becoming a great way for people to connect and learn about different topics. Schools that want to connect geographically separated alumnus often hold career webinars. These webinars titelseite a number of different topics, sometimes focusing on tips and advice or connecting job seekers with partnering employers.Career FairsEven with all of these other resources available to alumni, many school host career fairs to help graduating students and prior attendees with their job search and career progression. Partnering employers and companies often use these events to source new and top talent fo r advertised, and sometimes unadvertised, jobs.Readers, do you use your alumni association to find a job? What is the most useful resource you used? Share your experience with us below in the comment section