Using your affinity groups from college is a fantastic way to start networking. These groups can be as broad as the school’s alumni network overall, or more specific like a sports team or a club. Some schools have their own alumni network software that is similar to LinkedIn, but allows you to filter alums by these affinity groups. Alums typically only put their major/university on LinkedIn, but that works fine for most outreach.
When you’re reaching out to alumni on social networks, look for people who are doing things you want to do. You should also consider what you want to learn from them. If you’re looking for tactical help on an application, consider talking to junior people who recently went through the process. If you’re looking to learn what your future in a specific industry might look like, talk to someone who is more experienced.
If you don’t know the person, try sending some of your questions via email or messages before asking to jump on a call. It’ll be typically faster for someone to respond this way, as opposed to finding a time to schedule. If they respond to your email and you still have questions, that’s a good time to ask to get on a call.
At the end of your call, besides thanking them, try asking a broad question like “Is there anyone you think I should meet or talk to?”. This will allow them to look into their network, which exponentially increases the size of your network!
