Wednesday, August 7 – “My Alumni Network Sucks”
Good morning!
Here’s what’s on the JD today:
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A company who’s products are used on a daily basis by over a third of the world’s population is hiring.
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George asks, “I go to a pretty good school but the alumni network sucks. What should I do?”
“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.”
– Helen Keller
IN HIRING
Meta
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This company I’ve heard brought up more and more recently, with more students wanting big companies that can sponsor and who they feel are more open to foreigners.
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The company’s sheer size makes it a place where a more custom search would find results for most candidates.
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Here are a few interesting ones:
Click here for the company’s career page
TODAY’S QUESTION
George asks, “I go to a pretty good school but the alumni network sucks. What should I do?”
It feels as if alumni and students of institutions at every level feel this at some point, so you’re not alone.
Recommendation: Here’s what I’ve seen work for those at either schools with no alumni in a specific industry, city, or group of companies:
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First, I would list out broad themes from your background you could connect with people over including country, language, company, industry, department, and university. The alumni of a university is just one tool if you’re looking to network.
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Find a rhythm of sending out networking messages that you can do for a while. If it’s one to five a day, cool – if it’s one to five a week, okay. If you can maintain it for 3 months, it’s a good strategy.
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Think broadly about your university alumni. A current student or faculty member might open up some new ideas on how you can squeeze the juice out of your school.
Conclusion:
A poor alumni network is a common feeling and you may think differently in a few years. As for now, focus on getting a regular number of actions in a week and go from there.
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