After graduation, it can be quite daunting having to move on from student life and fend for yourself. If you are struggling to find the perfect job for yourself or you are still deciding which masters course you want to take, then you can still reach out to your university for help with this. Now you are a part of your university’s alumni community you can get access to a range of different benefits. These tend to differ between university but lots of them offer similar perks. Of course, you do not have to wait till you have graduated to be able to take advantage of these.
Job search support
Most universities will offer you job search support. They want you to get a job as much as you want a job! The best thing to do is to reach out via email and ask any questions you need help with. Alternatively, ask to set up a meeting, if you are no longer based in the same city as your university then make it an online meeting! Your university job team spend a long time trying to find all the jobs available to graduates and therefore if you tell them the type of role you are looking for they will be able to help you find it.
Not only will they be able to help you find a job to apply for, but they will be more than willing to help you with the application process. Whether that be supplying you with psychometric tests, sample interview answers or face to face practise interview help.
CV help
Another important thing your university job team can help you with if your CV. If you are finding the jobs you want to apply for, but you just cannot get through the first round then this means you need to work on your CV.
If you email it over and ask for some help on changes, they would be able to give you a call to talk through things that need a little bit of work. If your CV is lacking a little in experience, then it may be that they can find you some opportunities to work on some of your skills, bulk up your CV and give you something to talk about. This could include things like a couple weeks work experience, or a volunteering opportunity which could be done at the university or also externally.
Mentor new students
This is a great opportunity offered by some universities! The idea is that you enter a mentoring program (usually in the school you did your degree in) and you get partnered with a student. The aim is for you to share your experience with university and in the industry you work in. They will want to know things like how you got into the job role that you’re in and what you think about it. They would love for you to give the pointers on how to get into the industry and maybe even connect them with a few people who could help them when they potentially start looking for a job.
Not only will you be able to offer them insight into your industry, but they will also really benefit from listening about your university experience. It is great for students to hear what other people enjoyed doing and maybe also what they wish they had done differently so they can keep this in mind.
This is great for your own CPD which most workplaces value. Not only will you also benefit from it, but it is always nice to help someone who is in the position that you were once in. So being able to give them guidance and knowing that you are of some help can be very rewarding.
Access to student facilities with alumni card
Universities will let you access their facilities if you are an alumni, you may need to ask for an alumni card or you could possibly take your old card to be able to get let in. This includes things like the library which can be a huge help if you are completing your own research or if you are working on a mentoring program and you need a place to meet your mentor.
Get a discount on postgraduate courses
As far as I am aware, all universities offer alumni a discount on postgraduate courses that will usually get applied automatically if you sign up to a course. This discount can range from 10 – 30% and can be a massive help financially if you are looking to do a masters course of some sort.
Alumni events
Occasionally, events are hosted by the university for alumni, these events can include things like job fairs, reunions, and networking socials. This is a great way to catch up with old friends and also meet new people.
Enjoy a discounted gym pass
The great thing about being an alumni in the same city you live in is that you will be able to have access to the university gym facilities, but at a discounted rate. This rate is usually around 50% off which is a hefty amount when it comes to gyms!
Networking programs
There will be lots of networking programs available to you as an alumni. An important thing to mention is the LinkedIn group you will now be able to become a part of. This is a group full of alumni from your university in all different industries. People love helping out others who went to the same university as them. So, if you need any help at all then reach out to people on the group and I am sure they will be happy to help!
Final Thoughts
Although leaving your university life can be sad, and moving on can be hard, your university is still there to help you with any needs you have and support you in your next chapter. If you are needing any help with anything ai have not mentioned above then still continue to research out to your student services ad they will be there to support you.
