Contacting Alumni Guidelines

FriarLink is to be used exclusively for individual career exploration and networking. For students looking to locate alumni for club activities, please meet with a career advisor and we will partner with you as you plan your event.

As you know from your meeting or phone conversation with a Career Advisor, the Alumni listed in FriarLink have volunteered to be a career resource to PC undergraduates. Because networking is about building ongoing relationships, it is important to make the best first impression possible. To help you do that, it is important to read the below guidelines to ensure that you are ready to contact alumni and have a conversation about your individual career interests and/or goals.

1. Do Initial Homework Before Contacting Alumni:

Alumni you contact are busy professionals. To make best use of their time, you must do preliminary self assessment and career research before contacting alumni. Informational interviewing or networking with alumni and others should always follow your own research on career fields. Prior research will help you to ask pertinent questions and express yourself in an articulate manner. The Exploring Careers and Links sections of our webpage ( www.providence.edu/career ) and our career library in Slavin 111 have valuable resources to help with your intitial career exploration as well as your industry and employer research. Help is also available from Career Staff by appointment or during daily Quick Question Hours, posted on our website.

2. Know Your Purpose:

Consider your reasons for contacting the alum and the type of assistance you are seeking:

• Career information and insight into how this field might match your interests and skills
• Advice on the skills sets, experiences, and/or academic requirements necessary to break in and succeed in a field
• Industry and/or employer information and suggestions for further research
• Recommendations and feedback on your search strategies for an internship, summer job, or full-time/entry position
• Advice on graduate/professional school
• Referrals to others in your field of interest

DO NOT contact alumni to ask for a job or internship, this is not the purpose of FriarLink!

3. Contact Alumni According To Their Preferred Contact Method:

Contact the alum via email, phone, or letter, as specified in their profile. If no preference is stated, begin with the method that is most comfortable for you. An introductory email followed by a scheduled telephone appointment, works best in most cases. Remember that you are limited to contacting only 10 alumni per month.

4. Be Courteous and Professional at All Times:

• Introduce yourself as a PC student who is contacting the alum in the hope that he/she can be a career resource to you.
• Let the alum know that you obtained his/her name from FriarLink, the PC Alumni-Student Career Network.
• Your introduction should include your career interests and/or major and the assistance you are seeking.
• Anticipate that the alum may be busy or unable to speak with you at the time of inquiry. Always ask if the alum has a few minutes to speak with you or if he/she would prefer to arrange a more convenient time. Be brief and courteous!
• If you reach a secretary first, identify yourself as a PC student and ask to leave a voice mail message. You can also inquire as to the best time to reach the alum or try first thing in the morning, before the busy day begins.

5. Scheduling a Telephone Appointment or Personal Meeting:

It is likely that you will be able to gather valuable career advice solely through email correspondence. Depending on the availability and willingness of the alum, you may also want to schedule a telephone appointment or personal meeting at the workplace to allow for more in-depth questions and conversation. If an appointment is scheduled, it is a good idea to always follow-up with an email to confirm the date and time.

6. If You Get No Response:

Although alumni have volunteered to be a career resource, you will have to ascertain their current willingness and availability to assist you. Their job status may have changed or the demands of their position may prevent a timely response. If you do not connect with the alum after a reasonable period of time (a week), try again via the same or an alternate contact method. Always inform the program coordinator, Stacey Moulton (smoulton@providence.edu) of outdated or new alumni data. It is likely that you may encounter alums who no longer wish to serve as a resource or who may need to be refreshed about the program. Inform the program coordinator or request assistance, as necessary.

7. Shadowing Options:

Shadowing arranged by the student:
After an initial career discussion with an alumnus, you may be interested in inquiring about the possibility of arranging a half-day or full-day shadowing experience. Typically this would involve meeting with the alumnus and/or others at the place of employment for a more in-depth career discussion and observation of the work environment including tours, meetings, sales calls, hospital rounds, and/or other activities specific to the work setting. Shadowing, if agreeable to the alumnus, would be arranged at a mutually convenient time. Summer or spring break can be a great time for shadowing! Students needing assistance with arranging a shadowing experience should consult the program coordinator, Stacey Moulton.

Winter Break Shadowing Progam:
The Winter Break Shadowing Program is a bit more formalized and requires you to apply to opportunities that the Office of Career Services has arranged. Typically in October, alumni are asked to volunteer for winter break shadowing, typically involving a day-long observation of their work setting. Advertising of opportunities to students, mandatory information sessions, and the application period takes place in early November. Students must formally apply to opportunities of interest through the Career Services Office. So that we do not overburden alumni, contact information on alumni volunteering for the winter break program will not be available in the FriarLink system November ? January.

8. Meeting With an Alum:

If you arrange to meet with an alumnus, be sure to:

• Confirm your meeting a few days in advance
• Dress professionally
• Arrive on time
• Bring your resume for feedback, if appropriate
• Be professional and courteous
• Ask questions that demonstrate your research and interest
• Take notes, but be sure to ask permission to do so first
• Express your thanks and appreciation
• Determine any follow-up
• Ask for a business card
• Be sure to get thier address so you can send a thank you note

9. Sample Questions For Informational or Research Interviewing:

The questions asked during an informational phone call or meeting will vary according to your career interests, the industry, and the specific background of the alumnus. In addition to the general questions below, be sure to develop questions specific to the alum's career field, industry or employer.
Informational interview questions generally fall into 3 categories - questions concerning the individual, questions about the organization or profession, and questions about your match to the career field and suggested follow-up.

Questions about the Individual:

• How did you get into this field and how did you decide that this was the kind of work that you wanted to pursue?
• What was your educational background and how has it helped or hindered you?
• What are your responsibilities and what do you do during a typical day or week?
• What skills, talents and traits are useful and necessary to do your job?
• What are the satisfactions and challenges of your work?
• What do you like best and/or least about your career field?
• What's the typical career progression in this field or what options might your position and background lead to?

Questions about the Organization/Industry or Profession:

• How would you characterize this organization as an employer?
• What are the goals of your department within the organizational structure?
• What are the requirements/skills sets for entry jobs?
• What's the current demand for people in your field? Geographic considerations?
• How is the market for entry level opportunities?
• What salary range might one expect at an entry vs. experienced level?
• What forces or trends do you see currently affecting your job or industry; future trends?
• What are the best sources for learning more about your career field, organization, and/or industry?

Questions Regarding your Match and Action Steps:

Ask for the person's feedback on your background and "match" to the field. Summarize some of the major points that were discussed and how you feel you meet the entry qualifications. Share your resume and/or highlight your strengths and achievements.

• Can I give you a brief summary of my background?
• Have I developed the qualities, skills, and experiences that are important in this field?
• Where would you see someone with my background and strengths fitting in?
• What should I do to improve my qualifications?
• What suggestions do you have to gain experience?
• Does your organization or others that you know of offer internships or summer positions?
• If so, how would you suggest I follow-up?
• What suggestion do you have for identification and follow-up on entry full time opportunities?
• Are there other professionals or organizations that you suggest I contact?
• In contacting other people, is it okay for me to say that you referred me?