Utilize Your Alumni Network

Job Search Tip: Have you joined your college’s alumni group on LinkedIn? Alumni associations have always been a great resource for job searching; however, it is much more powerful now with LinkedIn. Plus, they are always posting career opportunities.

Try this approach if you haven't yet:

1. See a fellow alum post a job or ask if anyone is hiring in your field.

2. Reach out via LinkedIn private message and ask for time to get on a brief phone call.

3. Don't make it all about the job or your experience, unless they do. Transactional networking is rarely as effective. Ask about their experience at the college, what they studied, what they were involved in, etc. Reminisce together about similar experiences.

4. Once you have established rapport, ask for contact information of the hiring manager or ask to have your resume forwarded directly to that person. Ask if you can use your fellow alum as a referral for the online application. Thank them.

5. Apply for the position & list that person when it asks how you heard about the job.

6. STAY IN CONTACT! This is key! You don't want that person to feel like you were using them. They may be the difference in you getting the job or not.

Brett Ellis