Career Wandering, Alumni Impact
The mashup of alumni, institutional values, and careers that matter
Dear Friends,
Yesterday I had the pleasure to deliver an online Next Generation Networking Workshop to the Virtual Leadership Institute of Atlas Corps, a program for impact-driven social entrepreneurs from around the world. As these young professionals navigate their career and their contribution to the world, I remind them of the importance of their networks - especially their alumni networks including at Atlas Corps - to support their journey.
How can we, as alumni-facing professionals (and alumni!) support and find careers that matter and have impact? Reflection, one of the key traits of The Alumni Way. How do we create points of career reflection for our alumni? So many of our institutions promote values of sustainability or boast top billing in Impact Rankings. How does this align to our alumni?
Dr Candy Ho, Assistant Professor of Integrative Career and Capstone Learning, University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) highlights these questions to her students:
What is the world that they want to live in?
What do they see are the global problems or opportunities that need their attention?
What are their talents and experiences that may help address these problems, and in turn improve the condition of our world?
She is also the co-author of a recent 'must read' paper: Not All Who Wander Are Lost: Redefining Career Exploration and Indecision in Undergraduate Students - a quote to nudge you to read:
"In career wandering students might take part in extracurricular
activities, volunteer work, or even take gap years to gain broader
life experiences. These activities provide an opportunity for
self-reflection and growth that is not strictly confided to the
traditional career ladder" (p.199).
How can alumni relations (and our alumni experiences!) foster genuine opportunities for career exploration?
Your challenge this week:
For alumni-facing professionals: How can you integrate career wandering into the ways you support alumni into thinking about careers (and life) with impact?
For students and alumni: In what ways can you build reflection and career wandering actions into your weekly or monthly routine? Informational interviews to learn about the careers with impact of fellow alumni in one simple action. Listen to my guest podcast episode "The Alumni Way IS for the Everyday" as a reminder of importance of reflecting on your alumni status to make it truly work for you.
Career impact and exploration are the cornerstone of my Next Generation Networking Workshops. I deliver these workshops and webinars to dozens of universities and organizations worldwide! Do your students and alumni need a networking boost? Book an Discovery Call with me to explore this essential career exploration tool!
Yours with alumni impact,
Maria
Photo: Alumni professionals with impact! Sandra, Jana, Alex, Belén, and I at the ICARe conference - Check out Sandra Rincón's co-authored book (with Dr Gretchen Dobson): Engaging International Alumni as Strategic Partners that includes my co-authored chapter with Dr Kevin Fleming on Transformational Philanthropy - impact in action! Enjoy!
