At some point, when you were researching colleges, or during your time here as a student, you probably heard that St. Lawrence’s alumni network is one of the best in the country. (We’re currently ranked fourth nationally by The Princeton Review in that category, thank you very much.)
While the recognition is nice, the proof is in the pudding. We survey every graduating class about six months after commencement to find out where our most recent graduates have landed and how they ended up there. It turns out that our alumni network is the second most influential source for recent graduate employment, behind only internships.
If thinking about networking stresses you out, you’re not alone! Talking to people you haven’t met isn’t easy for many of us. It’s natural to feel like you are intruding or bothering people who don’t want to hear from you and don’t have time to help you.
The reality, however, is that many of our alumni are thrilled to take time talking to students. The conversations allow them to relive their own St. Lawrence experience and leave them feeling energized by your enthusiasm and drive.
Here are a few pointers to approaching networking conversations that will help set you up for success.
Start with people in entry-level positions in your chosen field
It would be great to have a conversation with the CEO of the company where you want to do an internship after sophomore year, but you’ll have a lot more success reaching out to recent alumni. They likely have more free time and it will be easier for you to relate to each other.
Make your initial request brief
Whether you’re reaching out via email, with a private message on LinkedIn or through Laurentian Connection, make your initial outreach brief and to the point. After a one-sentence introduction, simply state that you’d love to have a conversation about their career path and their industry. If you don’t get a response, wait a week or two then reach out one more time. People are busy and it’s easy for things to fall off their radar. If you don’t get a response after your second message, it’s time to move on.
Find common ground
There are some universal aspects of life at St. Lawrence that we all share. Alumni continue to crave Sergi’s pizza rolls (some have even been known to order a large quantity to be delivered hundreds of miles away for their weddings!) and love to tell stories about our unique St. Lawrence traditions. Find out if the person you’re going to talk to was a member of an athletic team or if you share any clubs/organizations in common. Starting networking conversations this way breaks the ice and makes both you, and the person you’re talking to, feel at ease.
Ask about their role and how they got there
Once you are both feeling comfortable, find out how the person you’re talking to got into the industry. What did they do on campus that helped them succeed in their role now? What kinds of internships did they have? How did they secure their current position? What does a typical day look like? What advice do they have that could help you follow a similar path?
Follow up and stay in touch!
After your conversation, be sure to send a message thanking the person you talked to for their time. Reach out every couple of months to provide an update on what you’ve been up to, and don’t be afraid to ask if there is anyone else that you should talk to.
Building a network takes persistence and hard work, but it doesn’t have to be scary. For more information on how you can take advantage of the Laurentian Network, set up a networking appointment in Handshake, or stop by the Center for Career Excellence today!