Make Meaningful Connections

It's never too early to start building your network. Attending career fairs, reaching out to alumni, and joining mentoring programs can help you learn about new industries, get information to help you prepare for interviews, and establish professional connections.


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Networking opportunities present themselves regularly. Take advantage of the resources and advantages available to you as a student to build your network throughout your experience. Don’t wait until you’re actively looking for a job to start making connections. Instead, take action now to grow your network. You can make valuable career connections through a variety of sources, including:

  • Your Personal and Professional Relationships
    Start by reaching out to your personal relationships (relatives, friends, coaches, mentors, etc.) and professional relationships (colleagues, faculty, supervisors, etc.) to set up exploratory career conversations. Ask your connections to introduce you to members of their extended network. 

 

Exploratory career conversations offer low pressure situations to gather information about various careers by speaking to professionals in those fields. You will learn what types of job opportunities/career paths exist in a given field or organization and begin to develop connections with individuals in your field of interest. 

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Make the most of the experience by planning out your questions in advance. Remember, these conversations are not about getting a job. You should not ask directly for an interview or a job.

Questions about your interviewee's career field

  • What skills or personal characteristics do you feel contribute most to success in this industry?
  • What are the positive/negative aspects of working in this field?
  • What are typical entry level jobs? Is there a definite career path in this field? If so, can you describe it?
  • What are the most pertinent issues or trends in this field?
  • What types of internship opportunities exist in this field?
  • What are typical entry-level jobs in this field?
  • How did you get into this field?

Questions about your interviewee's organization

  • Why did you decide to work for this organization?
  • What do you like most about this organization?
  • What are the toughest challenges your organization faces?
  • How would you describe the culture and climate at your organization (casual, busy, etc.)?
  • How does your job fit into the organization or department?
  • What are the organization’s core values? 

Questions about your interviewee's job and career path

  • What are the duties/functions/responsibilities of your job?
  • How do you spend a typical day/week?
  • What do you find most/least satisfying about your job?
  • In what ways is your occupation changing?
  • What kinds of problems do you deal with? What kinds of decisions do you make?
  • How does your schedulevary? Are there busy and slow times or is the work activity constant?
  • What projects have you worked on that have been particularly interesting?
  • What particular skills or talents are most essential to be effective in your job? How did you learn these skills?
  • How much flexibility do you have in determining how you perform your job?
  • In what way did this type of work interest you and how did you get started?
  • What jobs and experiences have led you to your present position?
  • What were the keys to your career advancement?

Questions about preparing for this career

  • How does your work relate to any experiences or studies you had in college?
  • What courses do you wish you had taken that would have prepared you?
  • If you were a college student again, what would you do differently to prepare you for this job?
  • What publications or professional journals do you recommend?
  • What skills or experiences are required to get an internship or entry level job in this field?

Wrap-up questions

  • Is there anyone else you can suggest I contact for additional information?

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Eagle Exchange Message
 

Dear Mr./Ms. (Last Name),

I’m a senior psychology major at Boston College and I found your name through Eagle Exchange.

From your profile, I see that you work in advertising at WIN Communications. I’m currently enrolled in an advertising course, and am excited to learn more about the field. 

I’d love to hear about your experiences working at an advertising agency, as well as any advice you might have for me as I begin my  job search. Are you available for 20 minutes next week to meet in person, talk on the phone, or video chat? I am free Monday and Thursday after 1pm.

Thank you for considering my request.

Sincerely,
Judy James
Boston College, Class of 2020

 

Event Follow Up Email
 

Dear Mr./Ms. (Last Name),

It was a pleasure to meet you at the Boston College Career Fair on Thursday. I recall from our brief discussion that you were also a Communications major. Given that I’m very interested in the field of public relations, I wondered if you might be willing to meet with me in the coming weeks to share more information about your career path and advice about getting into the field. At your convenience, I would like to set up a phone call or take you for coffee.

Thank you in advance.

Sincerely,
Judy James
Boston College, Class of 2020

 


Experiential Learning

By participating in experiential learning, you can make valuable connections and gain insights to help you launch a job or internship search. 

Overview

A job shadow is a one-day experience where you have the opportunity to follow a working professional throughout their daily activities and learn about their career field. Boston College alumni are often happy to host students for a day. You can also tap into your existing networks, including parents, siblings, or friends, and request to shadow them. 

When

Winter, spring, and summer breaks are ideal times to participate in job shadows. If the location is Boston, you can also participate during the school year. 

How to Arrange Job Shadows with Alumni:

To arrange your own job shadow, we recommend using Eagle Exchange to connect with BC alumni and request to shadow them for a day. Learn how to easily set up your own job shadow on Eagle Exchange.

 

Overview

A career trek is a group trip to an organization where you will tour the workplace, learn about potential opportunities, and network with Boston College alumni currently employed at the organization. 

When

Career treks happen throughout the academic year. 

How to Register

Each career trek will be posted in Handshake under events. Most often there is limited space. We recommend subscribing to receive emails from a career cluster of interest in order to stay updated on upcoming treks. 

Additional Opportunities:

Endeavor features career treks as part of the program. The Shea Center for Entrepreneurship runs a TechTrek class.

Overview

An industry chat is a one-on-one conversation with an employer at the Career Center. You will learn how to tailor your job/internship search for a particular industry. You can have your resume reviewed, get advice on how to market your experiences, or practice answering interview questions.

When

Industry chats happen throughout the academic year.

How to Register

Each industry chat will be posted in Handshake under events. Most often there is limited space. We recommend subscribing to receive emails from a career cluster of interest in order to stay updated on upcoming industry chats. 

Resources to help you connect

Campus Fairs & Networking Events

The Career Center hosts smaller industry-specific fairs and networking events to connect Boston College students with alumni and employers. Fairs and networking events are an opportunity to discover different industries and organizations and make connections in person. All events can be found in Handshake.

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Creating a LinkedIn Profile

Using LinkedIn professionally can help you establish connections, develop relationships, and explore companies and industries. Think of your profile as an online version of your résumé that is visible to alumni, professionals, and potential employers.

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Eagle Exchange

Eagle Exchange is an online platform that fosters connections between BC students and alumni. Making connections is a crucial part of your job and internship search, so use Eagle Exchange to set up informational interviews with alumni who work at organizations you're interested in.

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Handshake

All of the top employers are hiring on Handshake, including the Fortune 500, nonprofits, and startups. In addition to employer profiles, you can also use your Handshake account to schedule appointments with our career coaches and find upcoming career fairs and networking events. View our Handshake Guide to get started. 

Handshake is our centralized platform where top employers post positions for Boston College students. You have access to 400,000+ employer profiles, which include information about their organization, peer reviews, interview tips, and open positions.

bc:offices/student-affairs/CareerCenter/career-tools-and-resources/search-tags/handshake
Interstride

Interstride empowers International students to thrive. They simplify career opportunities, provide Visa and immigration support, and allow for networking and mentorship opportunities right on the platform.

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Meet with a Career Coach

Our knowledgable career coaches are here to support you. We offer different kinds of coaching services, including career exploration appointments, industry-specific sessions, and drop-in hours for quick questions or résumé review.

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MentorMatch

The Boston College MentorMatch Program allows current students to connect with an alumni mentor who will help them prepare to enter their career field of interest. MentorMatch provides every junior the opportunity to be matched with a mentor, and is open to seniors and graduate students if space permits.

bc:offices/student-affairs/CareerCenter/career-tools-and-resources/search-tags/MentorMatch

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