Anonymous wrote:Penn State has an alumni network like no other on the East Coast. Because the school is so large, there are Penn Staters everywhere looking out for one another.

i disagree - because it is so large, dilution is a problem.

The strongest alum networks are the ones that have the best balance between restrictive (like a tiny slac) and psu or michigan.

From what i've seen Dartmouth, Princeton, and Yale seems to have the strongest alum networks where alums really look out for each other.

The alumnae network from my all women's college (one of the Seven Sisters) was and is hugely helpful.
The name brand of my graduate school (MIT) opened lots of doors, but I've had little support from the alumni network.

Depends. Might get your resume a second look if this is a network of people you do not know, but are alumni of the same university. It can be very helpful if you are talking about a circle of people with whom you frequently meet and they actually know you.

Anonymous wrote:Penn State has an alumni network like no other on the East Coast. Because the school is so large, there are Penn Staters everywhere looking out for one another.

Eh, it's never come up in ay of my or my husband's job hunts.

Friends of ours did get a house over another bidder because of the Penn State connection (sellers were huge football fans). Kind of funny since neither of my friends cared about football or ever attended a game.

Penn State has an alumni network like no other on the East Coast. Because the school is so large, there are Penn Staters everywhere looking out for one another.

Anonymous wrote:I'm an Ivy Leaguer and while the name brand of my school has probably helped me, I don't think the alumni network ever has.

Agree. Ivy brand grad degree a plus. Top SLAC a neutral. Ivy network has helped a few times. SLAC network not at all.

I'm an Ivy Leaguer and while the name brand of my school has probably helped me, I don't think the alumni network ever has.

Depends on the school. I got an important internship because I went to the same school as the person looking at resumes. My undergrad is a SLAC and it has helped with networking.

it depends on the school. Michigan and USC pride themselves on helping each other out. And Ivy Leaguers definitely like hiring each other.

Depends on the city and the school. None of the local DC schools have a powerful local alumni network. Alum networks are very important in the South, Texas and Northern California.

It can help get you the initial contact and first interview. It's unlikely to help you beyond that.

Anonymous wrote:Doesn't help. I interviewed people that went to the same college as me and I gave them no preference whatsoever.

A friend of mine said the same. Did not take the candidate's college into consideration.

Doesn't help. I interviewed people that went to the same college as me and I gave them no preference whatsoever.

i would say it helps up to 30-35.

I know that for the first job out of school, it helps when graduates of the same school are recruiting on campus. But if you are in your 40's, does this network really help unless it is a Harvard or Stanford? Or is your network really people you have worked with above all?