How to Utilize University Alumni in Your City

You’re moving to a new city or maybe you’re established but looking to expand your circles. Regardless of the reason, most people forget to tap into their university resources. You might not be able to go back to the career center to ask for advice but it’s never too late to forge new relationships with fellow alumni. To help break the ice, here are a few tips on how to get involved with your local university chapter and meet fellow alumni:

Cold calling and cold emailing is allowed.

We all were you once: frantically wondering if you made the right decision to move or unsure of which neighborhood you should live in. Most alumni are happy to help each other out and all you need to do is find the right hook for your email.

If you’re looking for a new job, maybe start with asking about their experience or career path. Most people are happy to share information about themselves and from there you’ve started a conversation about industry trends or the local job market. If you’re trying to figure out the ropes in the new city, maybe ask if they have any suggestions on places to live or things to do. Having a personal recommendation can help solidify your decisions when you’re transitioning and maybe you’ll learn something you couldn’t have found online.

Tip: Using LinkedIn and other social media sites, you can easily find something you have in common with the alum you want to email so use that as a conversation starter.

Go to local alumni events.

Depending on the size of your university, your local alumni club has a website or lists a person to contact about upcoming events from formal gatherings to monthly happy hours. Start going to these local events and putting faces to the names of people you’ve been emailing. I’m partial to sports watch parties because they serve as a low-pressure alumni meet-up with a built-in conversation topic. Even if you don’t like sports, you’ll be surprised how many people enjoy reminiscing about their college days.

Tip: Bring a friend to your first alumni event, since they also will be new, you both could make new contacts.

Join your local chapter’s Facebook group. 

If you don't have a formal website or contact person, you might find alumni on Facebook. For Shanghai, everyone uses WeChat since Facebook and other Western sites are blocked. Whatever the case may be for your city, join the official groups and you'll find it's easy to start to connect with other alumni from event announcements to job postings and useful university news.

Tip: Volunteer for an upcoming event or committee. Having a purpose at an event can help you feel more at home and gives you an excuse to meet new people in the alumni chapter.

Take advice at face value.

We all have our own biases so remember an alum's response is coming from their point of view, not necessarily a universal truth.

When I first considered moving to China, I sent over 50 emails to different alumni who’d listed in our alumni database that they lived in China. With about a 40% response rate, I quickly had a library of advice on where to live, where to work, and who to talk to. With the helpful information, I also received emails telling me how stupid it was to want to go to China and that I should think about my other options. In the end, I think it was helpful to have responses on both sides of the spectrum because I went into the move better prepared for the ups and downs of China and my career.

No matter how you decide to transition to a new city, your university alumni are a frequently overlooked resource. Don't be afraid to make the first move and reach out to them because they once were in the same position. And as you get settled in your new city, remember to pay it forward to help out alumni who follow.