The Importance of Alumni Networks in Professional Development

Building an alumni network is an excellent way to move your career forward. It lets you stay in touch with those interested and operating in the same field as you, exchange knowledge but also talk to the people who changed industries and might have a different point of view which might lead you to new ideas. It’s a part of lifelong learning – developing your skills and knowledge throughout your life. In this article, we shall discuss networking with alumni in a bit more detail – we invite you to read on!

The Role of Alumni Networking

There is no better way to establish what role alumni networking plays in career development than to look at its benefits, so take a look below!

Exchanging Knowledge

Alumni networking is one of the best ways to network and exchange information with other professionals in your field. It can give you a fresh perspective on some processes in your job and expand your knowledge.

The problem with working within one company is that you are often closed in an information bubble – you get to learn the best processes as perceived by your employer and have a point of view molded by the procedures in your organization. Meeting fellow professionals helps you expand your horizons and see your work from a new perspective while learning about innovations you wouldn’t have otherwise heard.

Finding New Job Offers

Networking with alumni also opens the doors to new job opportunities. By establishing connections with other people in the field, you can learn about new job openings and make use of that knowledge when the time comes. Moreover, it might also improve your chances of being hired, as you will have recommendations from your alumni colleagues.

Personal Branding

Keeping an alumni network might also help you with personal branding. After all, what hiring managers look for is a strong, recognizable specialist and you can build your image with the help of the university.

By staying connected with other alumni and keeping close to the university, you get a unique opportunity to show off your skills to a larger audience, such as current students. Giving a short guest lecture at your university or providing insights to the career center might seem insignificant, but they are important steps on the way to building your reputation in the industry.

How to Build Your Alumni Network?

Knowing the benefits of networking with other alumni, you might want to do it yourself. To make it easier, we will provide you with some of our tips on how to do this.

Utilize Social Media

Networking with alumni on LinkedIn or other profession-related social media is an excellent way to reach out. You can find the people with whom you had classes, invite them to your friends, and simply start a chat about job-related topics or how they climbed the career ladder after graduation.

Contact an Alumni Coordinator

You’ll often find official alumni networking events organized by someone from your former classmates. Find out who is the alumni coordinator, message them, stay connected, and find out what’s happening and how you can participate in these events.

Sign up for an Alumni Newsletter

Additionally, some alumni groups have their own newsletters, so…sign up for it! This is an effortless way to learn about your peers and find out when and how you can network with your former classmates.

The Takeaway

You must network with other alumni to learn more, open new job opportunities, and improve your academic and professional reputation – it’s the best way! So, grab your phone, start networking on LinkedIn, and establish relationships with your peers.

Did you like this article? You may also read: Effective Online Networking Strategies in the Digital Age