Strategic Networking:
Outside-In and Inside-Out
Most alumni are aware that graduates of the School can be found in leadership positions all over the world, in organizations of every size and description. Not everyone, however, may know that more than 25,000 are members of the Alumni Advisory Network who have volunteered to be contacted for career information by other HBS graduates. So what’s the best way to leverage the power of those connections? The answer really depends on your objectives, says Christine Sullivan, senior program manager of Alumni Career Services.
In any job search process, successful networking can make all the difference. Alumni in active job-hunting mode should consider an “outside–in” approach, working their way through a list of contacts to the person who is closest to their area and position of interest. “Talking to other alumni first will confirm that this is a direction they want to pursue,” Sullivan notes. “By the time they zero in on those final few names, they’ll have refined their information even further.” That makes it easier to ask more specific questions, and the bank of knowledge accumulated from earlier conversations increases a job candidate’s marketability.
Other alumni may not be actively seeking a job change, but are interested in exploring their options. For those in this casual, information–gathering stage, Sullivan recommends the “inside–out” approach of beginning with contacts closest to one’s area of interest and working down the list from there. This allows alumni to dip into a wide range of interests for future consideration.
Whatever your goal in using the Alumni Advisory Network, remember the following:
• Prepare. Jot down a list of questions and research the contact’s company. Articulate your reasons for
calling or sending your e–mail clearly and concisely.
• Be flexible. Is this a good time to call? If not, make arrangements to talk another time. Be
up–front about how much time you are asking for (20–30 minutes is the norm). If using e–mail, ask the
contact to suggest a convenient time to call.
• At the end of the discussion, ask for the name of at least one other person to extend your network.
• Send a thank–you note.
• Follow up to let the contact know the ultimate outcome of your search.
• Stay in touch.
Some alumni hesitate to use the network for fear of imposing or asking for help, says Sullivan. “In reality, networking is a two–way street. Alumni who are making contacts have an outside perspective that can be informative for someone who has been working at one job for any length of time. That’s a valuable asset, too.”
Alumni Career Services is located in Teele Hall, 230 Western Ave: 617–495–6582, 617–496–5699 (fax), career_advisors@hbs.edu (e-mail), or visit www.alumni.hbs.edu/careers/careers.html.
