Helping Students Network with Columbia Alumni

University Alumni Relations has partnered with the undergraduate school alumni offices, the Center for Career Education and undergraduate student leadership to launch Columbia Career Connections to Columbia students. This program brings Columbia undergraduates from Columbia College, the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science and the School of General Studies into the networking community.

Columbia Career Connections is an online career networking community where students will have the opportunity to make connections with alumni in a wide variety of professions, industries and locations. Columbia University is fortunate to have a vibrant alumni community and direct relationships with alumni can provide students with a distinct brand of insight into their own career search. Columbia Career Connections was launched to alumni in the Fall 2006 semester, and over 1,500 alumni from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds have registered.

The Center for Career Education emphasizes networking as an important aspect of career development. Networking can help students gain valuable industry insight, find contacts for informational interviews and develop a more nuanced understanding of organizations and professions. Networking workshops are available throughout the academic year to help students and alumni understand how best to network to maximize their experience. Students and alumni already have a number of career networking opportunities available to them, organized by the Center for Career Education, such as Networking Nights highlighting different industries like Media and the Careers In... series which brings alumni to campus to discuss their current work. The Columbia Career Connections will supplement the current networking opportunities at Columbia University by facilitating contacts between students and alumni through an online application. CCC will help students develop contacts, communicate with career professionals, and interact with alumni to further their career exploration.

Students

During the Academic Year students will need to attend a networking workshop before using Columbia Career Connections so that they are equipped to maximize their online experience. The complete networking workshop calendar can be found on the Events Calendar

During the summer students will need to schedule time with a career counselor in-person or over the telephone before using Columbia Career Connections so that they are equipped to maximize their online experience. Appointment times can be scheduled by calling (212) 854-5609.

Alumni

In Columbia Career Connections, alumni are able to develop profiles on their current and past work experience highlighting the evolution of how they were able to achieve their current position. Each profile also may contain information on the industry, organization and type of work the alumnus/a is engaged in. Alumni also have the option of identifying networking preferences based on common interests and affinity groups. While students will not create profiles, they will be able to search profiles by a variety of criteria and using blind email functionality, contact directly those alumni who have expressed a preference to network with students.

Alumni can register online at alumni.columbia.edu/careerconnections

If you have any questions please send an e-mail to careerconnections@columbia.edu.