Alumni Mentoring Network

Connect with alumni mentors, get valuable advice for your career start!

One of the main reasons for integrating of Career Advising with the Alumni Relations, the Alumni Career Mentoring Scheme is a valuable resource for those who are seeking guidance during the first career steps.

Alumni career mentors can provide you direction whether you are pursuing your first job or changing careers. Learning directly from someone with "real-life experience" is the best way for most people to gain knowledge. Communication with mentors can provide realistic information about career options, networking methods, employment conditions and job responsibilities.

Although the Network is not an employment or placement program, the mentors may also be able to refer you to their contacts in the industry at a later stage of the relation.

Step 1: identify your target group, based on location, professional segment, employers, etc. Prepare your question and try to make it as specific and focused as possible. See some exaples below.

Note: Remember, mentors are to be contacted for information about their careers, their organization and their industry, not job interviews or part time jobs you are looking for at present. Many mentors are uncomfortable about being placed in the position of recruiter. Do not send CV/resumes or cover letters unless the mentor agrees or suggests that you should do so.

Step 2: contact ARCS and communicate your preference, so that we can select from the Alumni Directory the mentor(s) who is available and matches your criteria.

Step 3: We will forward your message to the mentor and s/he will get back to you directly. In the future, this service will include an online searchable password protected database.

Step 4 (optional, but very helpful for us): send us your feedback regarding this career tool, sharing the success story or suggesting improvement.

Suggested texts for contacting a mentor:

"Dear alumni mentor,
My name is ____ and I am a student/alum of the CEU. Thank you for being a career resource contact for CEU students. I'm very interested in the field of ----- (or "doing a job search in the field of -----") and am looking for more information on ----- I'd like to ask a few questions and to discuss your opinions and experience in the field."

 

"Dear alumni mentor,
My name is ____ and I am a student at the ----- Department at CEU. Thank you for being a career resource contact for CEU students. As I seriously consider a career in the ----- sector, I already have a list of employers to contact in the near future, but I am interested to learn what is the best strategy to enter this industry. I'd like to ask a few questions and to discuss your opinions and experience in the field."

 

"Dear alumni mentor,
Thank you for accepting to mentor other CEU students and fellow graduates. My name is ____ and I am currently studying for a master degree in ----- at CEU. After graduation, I would like to work at the ----, so I am preparing the application documents, but I am interested to learn what does this employer define as factors of success for a candidate. Being already part of the team, I would welcome any advice from you on how to present myself better in terms of personal skills and knowledge. "

Contact your Career Officer, Greta Pelyák, to set up an appointment and discuss the various opportunities available for you.

Would you prefer to contact CEU mentors independently? Join our CEU Alumni&Friends groups on LinkedIn (1600+ members) and Facebook (2400+members)!