The Trend: At a time of job loss and dislocation, some university offices of career services and alumni associations see their support role evolving to help laid off alumni in new ways. They are pioneering efforts to build community, normalize layoffs and career pivots, and offer industry-specific support for navigating the challenging job market. Front and center are outreach options that make connecting virtually both possible and productive.
Exhibit A: The Penn State Alumni Association isn’t pushing usual one-size-fits-all resources, like generic job boards and outdated resume-building tools. Instead it’s providing curated resources for jobseekers, such as by leveraging Zoom and artificial intelligence to help grads build skills and get matched with industry mentors. For example, a group launched in response to the government layoffs last year provides networking opportunities, niche monthly meetups, webinars and workshops.
The Pros: Previously, alumni had to live near major cities to take advantage of resources; now, technology enables them to engage with peers and experts around the world in real time or at their own pace. Zoom, for instance, allows for virtual office hours with career services experts who provide one-on-one advice about career transitions. At the same time, they stay connected to their alma mater in meaningful ways – undoubtedly paying it forward to fellow alums and the school down the road.
The Cons: Going all in on new technology like AI services to help students and recent graduates with skills such as resume writing can be expensive. It also requires staff to constantly master new skills necessary to facilitate the use of new platforms. For this reason, Penn State focuses on being strategic in which services and technology they lean into.
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Reality Check: With more than 800,000 graduates and around 270 affiliate groups dotting the globe, the Penn State Alumni Association has a vast network of alumni to plumb and connect. Smaller schools might not have the same pool to draw on or serve, though those part of academic consortiums might try to establish joint alumni efforts.
The Upshot: While Penn State isn’t sharing most of the program’s stats, Tom Hammond, the alumni association’s executive director of engagement, does say that in the last year, the association racked up more than 100,000 alumni engagements through a combination of events, groups and initiatives that leverage the community. That programming has led to powerful networking and career opportunities for alumni who’ve experienced layoffs.
