Career Events | Alumni Association of the University of Michigan                       

U-M is renowned for its diverse and powerful network, and career events hosted by the Association's regional clubs provide the foundation to bring our network together and provide enriching career education. Each event, no matter what the size, from a job skills workshop to a mentoring experience, is an opportunity to promote and reinforce the power of the U-M network and the value of Association membership.

Based upon the collective experiences of Association staff and club volunteers, we are excited to share recommendations and best practices for developing, planning, and hosting successful regional career events. Here are some examples of typical club career events:

• Facilitated networking events
• Job skills workshops, including HR professionals and/or other career-oriented speakers
• Alumni mentoring events
• Speed-networking breakfasts or happy hours

Planning A Career Event

It takes a dedicated team of at least two to three volunteers to implement a successful career event. Planning of the event, including theme, venue, and budget, should begin at least 60 days prior to the event. Please consult the following resources in planning a career event:

• An event-planning timeline and checklist (.pdf)
• Three preferred and proven career event models (.pdf): professional networking events, job search skills workshops, and 30-minute mentors.
• A venue checklist (.pdf)
• A sample sponsorship solicitation letter (.pdf)
• A volunteer application (.doc) and suggested language for volunteer recruitment and thank-you letters (.pdf)

Association Career Resources

During your event, please emphasize to the attendees the Association's members-only LinkedIn group (with over 36,000 verified alumni) and exclusive career benefits available to Association members, including online resume and cover letter review, monthly career webinars, discounted career assessment tools, and access to the Association's preferred alumni career coaches and recruiters. To build awareness of the Association's career resources, please provide copies of some or all of the following documents:

• Association Career Resources Overview (.pdf)
• Guide To Networking (.pdf)
• Best Practices: Your Job Search (.pdf)
• Top 6 Tips For Your Professional Resume (.pdf)
• LinkedIn Best Practices (.pdf)