7 Alumni Networking Donts

7 Alumni Networking Donts7 Alumni Networking DontsAvoid these missteps to be sure you are using your alumni network effectively in your job search.One piece of advice that just about every career resource out there gives Tap into your alumni network.Have you ever noticed no one gives you tips on exactly how to do so? So this networking advice - without additional guidance about how to access your alumni network properly (what to ask, and what to avoid) - leads most people to gain little help from an alumni network.A large parte of the problem stems from changes in the job market and hiring practices. Prior to 2007, there were candidate shortages, so random networking was mora effective. When there were candidate shortages, you could make lots of mistakes, you could use terribly ineffective techniques and still find a job. A job search during candidate shortages was so easy, basically anyone could find a job.In addition, many random networking techniques worked then because employ ers had formal and informal policies to interview every candidate who was referred by an internal employee - qualified candidates were hard to come by and at least someone within the company was saying nice things. Many of these policies were eliminated due to changes in government regulations. Rather than choosing interviewees based on who the candidate knew, employers realized they could avoid disastrous government penalties by running all resumes through an applicant tracking system (ATS), selecting applicants based on more objective criteria.The reason that there are so many networking missteps is simply because youve never been told they were mistakes - they used to work, mistake or not. Fortunately, theres a better way, which Ill show you. First, lets start by identifying common mistakes job seekers make when reaching out to alumni networksSpamming alumni networks Sending your resume to everyone on an alumni list used to work well, when employers automatically gave interview s to anyone recommended by an inside employee. Today, it gets you into the same ATS as if you applied through a job board. Worse, youre spamming your network, because most alumni on your list dont know you personally.Dont network with alumni randomly Years ago, people would welcome calls from fellow alumni because it was a way to connect to their past. Today, these lists are so overused and over-marketed that calls from fellow alumni are met with mistrust. Attempting to network where there isnt a clear connection beyond the university where you and hundreds of thousands of others studied wont establish much initial trust or help in a job search.Dont behave this way at alumni networking events Dont bring resumes to alumni events. Dont ask for help. Dont share your job search frustrations or war stories. Dont network randomly.Dont act desperately When you share your job search issues, challenges or even goals with a fellow alum who doesnt know you personally, you start to sound a lit tle desperate. This can make the person on the other end of the conversation uncomfortable, especially if they dont have an immediate solution to your problem. Put yourself in the other persons shoes If youre busy and the conversation makes you uncomfortable, would you want to stay on the phone?Dont ask for help before building trust Dont ask for help before youve provided something of value, which builds trust. When you start out asking someone you dont know for help, even if you share the same alma mater, you erode trust rather than build it. Youve heard the phrase Give before you get, right?Dont just ask for a job Asking an alum for a job nearly always fails. You dont know if that individual is a hiring manager, nor do you know if they have any openings. Even if that alum is a hiring manager with openings that for which youre qualified, youre asking for a job based primarily on your shared school - bad move. Most employers have policies directing employees and hiring managers to send candidates to HR. The question itself is a waste of their time. Why waste their time and ruin a potentially valuable connection from the start? There is much more value that a fellow alum can provide than just directing you to a website - why not concentrate on that?Dont ask alumni for help they arent able to give People dont like to admit that they cant help - it makes them feel powerless and uncomfortable. Even if you manage to stumble upon an alum who is a hiring manager with a current opening that youre qualified to fill, the hiring manager is supposed to direct you to the company websites career section or to HR. More likely, your alumni contact isnt the right hiring manager and may not be able to direct you to the correct hiring manager. Remember, they dont know you and youre asking them to break policy and risk their own career.This list of donts should open your eyes to just how much effective job search networking techniques have changed in the past few years.