What is a "great alumni network"?

College Life
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<p>What is a "great alumni network", anyway? </p>

<p>How does it work (and is it equally important) in various career fields, for example technical (IT, engineering), public policy analysis and consulting (urban planning, energy, international relations), management, and sales? Is it valuable at all stages of a career, or more so when you are just starting out?</p>

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<p>It’s an interesting question. </p>

<p>Some would say that the size of the network is critical, but my personal experience is that size can be a detriment. My undergrad is Rhodes College, with about 12,000 living alumni. My master’s is Penn State, with about a gazillion living alumni. You’d expect the PSU network would be better somehow. </p>

<p>The thing is, with 20-something campuses and hundreds of programs, there’s likely little if any connection at all between me and the next person in the PSU alumni network. Two PSU alumni with no other connection are strangers to one another.</p>

<p>The Rhodes network, by comparison, is relatively tight-knit. We all have a similar experience at Rhodes (Southwestern at Memphis for the pre '84 folks). There’s also a sense of responsibility that if someone from the Rhodes network comes to you for help, you need to receive them. I’ve also noticed that when I see a doctor or vet or lawyer with a Rhodes degree, I feel much more confident in their ability.</p>

<p>I’ve used the Rhodes network a couple of times. When I wanted to move back to Memphis from Philadelphia, I sent the president of the college an email telling him I was looking for work in town and would appreciate it if he could put in a word for me anywhere. The next week I had an interview and offer from one of the big local corporations. So it’s not just the other alumni in the network, but it’s also the commitment of the college and staff to supporting the network.</p>

<p>So, long story short, what makes a good alumni network to me is one that I can use to get help with employment, finding good service providers, trading information about industries, getting advice about graduate education, and overall building trust between members.</p>