Tapping into the Hilltopper Network
When Finance major Josh De Freitas ’18 was scouting career advice prior to graduating, he contacted fellow Hilltopper Paul Tramonte ’91, executive director of compliance at J.P. Morgan’s Global Commodities Group in Houston. Tramonte was happy to meet with De Freitas and share insights on networking and ways to stand out in his job search. “I valued Paul’s input highly in the job hunting process. His help made landing a job easier,” says De Freitas, who is now a research associate at Mission Hill Investment Advisors in Austin. Tramonte gained from the interaction as well. “The ability to give back and hopefully give somebody a leg up is very fulfilling,” he says.
Opportunities for St. Edward’s University students and alumni to connect with each other for career advice are now more accessible than ever through the St. Edward’s Career Network Advisor program established on LinkedIn. “This network identifies St. Edward’s alumni who have volunteered to provide career guidance and, in some cases, mentorship to students and other alumni who are seeking assistance through LinkedIn,” explains Ray Rodgers, former director of Career and Professional Development. Advisors in the program share professional expertise, provide personal experiences and insight, shed light on different career options, and highlight job skills they have found most useful.
Why LinkedIn?
Rogers points out plenty of benefits that come with using LinkedIn for the advisor program, beginning with its user-friendly access to nearly 20,000 St. Edward’s alumni listed in the platform. “LinkedIn lets job seekers identify and network with our alumni in a broad range of careers, industries and locations. And it eliminates the gatekeeper role. Students and alumni can freely search through and connect with network members without going through an office or middle person for access. It’s also a wide-reaching platform for students and alumni to promote themselves for employment,” he says.
Here’s How the Career Network Program Works
Alumni who want to volunteer as advisors in the program only need to add the “St. Edward’s Career Network Advisor” designation under “Volunteer Experience” on their LinkedIn profile.
Students and other alumni interested in reaching out for career advice can identify alumni advisors by searching for “St. Edward’s Career Network Advisor” using LinkedIn’s main search tool. For this to occur, they must have a LinkedIn profile.
Jan Bisaga ’14 has been in touch with several St. Edward’s students through his LinkedIn profile. “When it comes to networking, I tell students not to be afraid of reaching out to people with questions or for help,” says Bisaga, an Economics major who works in digital analytics reporting at American Airlines in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. “It was a little difficult for me to find my career path while I was in school and right after graduating,” he says. “I’ve learned a lot since then, and I enjoy being able to offer candid feedback for students that may be in my same situation.”
Need a LinkedIn Profile?
The Career and Professional Development (CAPD) team helps current students and alumni develop their profiles through individual appointments, workshops and online resources. And they provide guidance on using LinkedIn for professional networking. Ready to get started?
