In the current economy, finding the dream job is becoming more and more difficult. In some cases dreams should adapt to reality, when they reflect a desire for security and stability: flexibility is now a basic requirement for the majority of job searches. Job security is becoming a contradiction. Especially qualified people have to be prepared, more than in the past, to lead the change if they don’t want to be overcome by the change itself.

In this context of great unpredictability, the need of maintaining connections with old classmates can be crucial. If you expand this concept to a community of Business School’s alumni, you could find a network of thousands like-minded people willing to share opportunities, support, entrepreneurial and managerial ideas and projects.

Nowadays it is much easier to reach this goal: for the first time in history we can communicate through the technology, in particular through social media!

This is an incredible resource because it is suitable to all, and everybody can reach former classmates, students and colleagues staying at their home, in their city, in their continent! 1400 people make MIB Alumni community, from 45 countries in all 5 continents: how could we stay in touch on a daily basis without these tools?

So, if in one hand the job market is down at the moment, the economy is slow to recover, on the other hand we have the tools to stay connected each other, sharing job opportunities and career advises.

These are some of the goals we can achieve using social media as Alumni and students:

   

   1. HELPING ALUMNI FIND A JOB

LinkedIn is an effective tool to provide alumni with career resources. Alumni can follow best companies, stay updated with their job posts, comment on focus groups. As MIB Alumni we have a group on LinkedIn:

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In this Group all students and Alumni can share job postings, articles, blog posts that might be of interest of other Alumni. Also the School has a page on LinkedIn to stay connected with its Alumni:

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   2. COLLABORATION AND CONNECTING WITH ALUMNI AND STUDENTS

Through social media we can start alumni-to-alumni conversations, sharing for example specific practices or skills required by companies. Also conversations between Alumni and Students can be very effective: alumni could act as mentors to position students for their careers.

Furthermore, using social media tools to engage students can create a lasting relationship between student and school into their alumni years.

As MIB Alumni we use different tools, not only LinkedIn.

For example Facebook group and page (MIB Alumni and MIB School of Management):

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The School page is followed by almost 13.000 people and it is updated with School courses, initiatives and events for all Alumni, students and all people interested in higher management education.

   3. BE ALWAYS UPDATED WITH TOP INFLUENCERS, OTHER BUSINESS SCHOOLS AND ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS, COMPANIES, CEOs etc.

In the changing world where we are living today, it is fundamental to be always updated with best practices, new trends and innovation, in education and in business.

For this purpose a very effective tool is Twitter. This is a great social to stay in touch with Alumni, with companies, with other business schools, alumni associations, teachers, influencers, top managers, CEOs etc.

The effectiveness and the innovation of Twitter is that all of us can interact with top managers and influencers from the other side of the world, make questions, comment or just read what is in their mind and what they are working on at the moment.

Don’t forget that through social media we can also share photos, videos, and contents from our blogs.

All this creates a magic situation, called “engagement”: if everybody feels engaged, the Community is alive and kicking!

And you – are you using social media? How important do you reckon social networks are for our community?

I would welcome your thoughts.