Tell me how your college alumni network helped you...

[Anonymous]

Got a high profile internship specifically because the hiring manager saw I was attending his university.

Got first job through a friend who graduated a year ahead of me who knew someone in the industry I was interested in.

Have received and given advice on career and personal life through alum network over the years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HYPS. Zero network help. I think it's largely a myth.

Same here.

I don’t think you tried very hard.

[Anonymous]

Wellesley College network has helped me with so many things from career assistance:
My first internship was a recommendation from an alum.
My first job was a recommendation from an alum.
First time I had to negotiate stock options and compensation for a VP level job, I used advice from a Wellesley message board to dramatically increase how much I was paid.


The alumnae network also has helped me parent:
I hired a nanny recommended by an alum.
When one of my kids was sick in the middle of the night, and I was awaiting a call back from the pediatrician, a pediatric nurse on a Wellesley parenting message board correctly diagnosed it as appendicitis and suggested I take her to the ER. I was in the hospital parking lot by the time my pediatrician called back and suggested the exact same thing.


And even small little stuff like my favorite sweater is from a suggestion from the Wellesley fashion and clothing message board, and visiting restaurants or activities recommended by alums while on trips.

Wellesley network is unlike anything I've seen from any colleges that my friends or family have attended. It's a force!

[Anonymous]

Zilch. St Olaf College. Most alums declined to even meet. And the school still hits me up for money monthly

[Anonymous]

Went to Ivies for undergrad and grad school. Name helped internationally get internships. Domestically, I've maintained a circle of friends who are doing interesting things/work that I sometimes connect with for work reasons. Not sure I ever got a job specifically on the strength of random alumni of my school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dartmouth alum and it definitely got me my first big job.

Cornell alum and same here (through Cornell Club of Washington).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wellesley College network has helped me with so many things from career assistance:
My first internship was a recommendation from an alum.
My first job was a recommendation from an alum.
First time I had to negotiate stock options and compensation for a VP level job, I used advice from a Wellesley message board to dramatically increase how much I was paid.


The alumnae network also has helped me parent:
I hired a nanny recommended by an alum.
When one of my kids was sick in the middle of the night, and I was awaiting a call back from the pediatrician, a pediatric nurse on a Wellesley parenting message board correctly diagnosed it as appendicitis and suggested I take her to the ER. I was in the hospital parking lot by the time my pediatrician called back and suggested the exact same thing.


And even small little stuff like my favorite sweater is from a suggestion from the Wellesley fashion and clothing message board, and visiting restaurants or activities recommended by alums while on trips.

Wellesley network is unlike anything I've seen from any colleges that my friends or family have attended. It's a force!

+1

I have to agree. My friends and family who attended Wellesley are so supportive of each other - IMO, far moreso than women, in general. It is encouraging to see.

[Anonymous]

UC (undergrad) = zilch

Grad school = also zilch, but for different reasons. Grad school was all Republican and I’m a Dem. They are great at helping each other but other than some friendships (which I cherish) no one from my grad school has ever helped me in my career.

[Anonymous]

It didn’t (Hofstra).

Went to more elite grad schools, , but still did not use any “network” based on those associations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wellesley College network has helped me with so many things from career assistance:
My first internship was a recommendation from an alum.
My first job was a recommendation from an alum.
First time I had to negotiate stock options and compensation for a VP level job, I used advice from a Wellesley message board to dramatically increase how much I was paid.


The alumnae network also has helped me parent:
I hired a nanny recommended by an alum.
When one of my kids was sick in the middle of the night, and I was awaiting a call back from the pediatrician, a pediatric nurse on a Wellesley parenting message board correctly diagnosed it as appendicitis and suggested I take her to the ER. I was in the hospital parking lot by the time my pediatrician called back and suggested the exact same thing.


And even small little stuff like my favorite sweater is from a suggestion from the Wellesley fashion and clothing message board, and visiting restaurants or activities recommended by alums while on trips.

Wellesley network is unlike anything I've seen from any colleges that my friends or family have attended. It's a force!

+1

I have to agree. My friends and family who attended Wellesley are so supportive of each other - IMO, far moreso than women, in general. It is encouraging to see.

I have heard this about all women’s colleges.

[Anonymous]

Zero as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wellesley College network has helped me with so many things from career assistance:
My first internship was a recommendation from an alum.
My first job was a recommendation from an alum.
First time I had to negotiate stock options and compensation for a VP level job, I used advice from a Wellesley message board to dramatically increase how much I was paid.


The alumnae network also has helped me parent:
I hired a nanny recommended by an alum.
When one of my kids was sick in the middle of the night, and I was awaiting a call back from the pediatrician, a pediatric nurse on a Wellesley parenting message board correctly diagnosed it as appendicitis and suggested I take her to the ER. I was in the hospital parking lot by the time my pediatrician called back and suggested the exact same thing.


And even small little stuff like my favorite sweater is from a suggestion from the Wellesley fashion and clothing message board, and visiting restaurants or activities recommended by alums while on trips.

Wellesley network is unlike anything I've seen from any colleges that my friends or family have attended. It's a force!

It’s well known that Wellesley has the most powerful alum network bar none

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:JHU grad. Honestly it never occurred to me to seek out alumni anything. So no help. But perhaps it would have been there if I was proactive.

Another Hopkins alum

I’ve gotten a couple of interviews due to it but it isn’t Dartmouth level hookups

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HYPS. Zero network help. I think it's largely a myth.

Same here.

Also HYPS. Have not used the network but have been on the other side with students or recent grads reaching out to me. I've done informational interviews but would not hire someone just because of an alumni connection. For my own career, the school name definitely got my foot in the door a few times.

I'm actually considering a career pivot and wonder how to use this supposedly amazing alumni network since it would be a way to put out feelers but more anonymously than using my current professional network.

[Anonymous]

They never did. They just sent mail a couple of times asking for money. I laughed and told my parents they could throw it out.