Learning How to Network: Career Preparation Through Alumni Interviews

Up to 80% of jobs are filled through networking. However, many undergraduate students do not know how to network with non-peers. One way to teach this skill is through alumni interviews. A political science class meets weekly with a series of alumni working in fields of interest to the students in the class. In the last month of the term, each student is assigned to contact one graduate of our program to set up an informational interview about their career path. This study surveys undergraduate students to learn about their experiences with networking and their comfort level with networking. The treatment group took the political science class and the control group has not. It concludes that repeated and required interactions with alumni helped the students learn how to explain their own qualifications, connect with mid-career professionals, and open doors to better job opportunities.