Tips & Tricks for Using
Clark University Alumni Online Community (OLC)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has access to the Alumni Online Community?

Current undergraduate juniors, seniors and alumni.

What is the Alumni Online Community and what can it be used for?

The Community offers a place for current juniors, seniors and alumni to share interests and experiences, gather and exchange information and ideas, locate one another and keep informed of upcoming campus and regional alumni community events.

How can the Alumni Online Community be accessed and how can I register for it?

The Alumni Online Community can be accessed by going to the Alumni Online Community website at www.clarku.edu/alumnicommunity

Next, to register for the Alumni Online Community, click on the link that says "Click Here to Register Now!" This will bring you to a page that asks for your first and last names and class year. Fill in the appropriate information in the required fields. You will notice that there is a link underneath these fields that says "Find My Record". Click on this link. Your name and class year will appear on the next page. Click on your name. You will then be asked to provide the last four digits of your Social Security Number in order to confirm you are the right person. If you receive a message that states "security validation error" you will need to submit a form (link provided) to the Community Administrator asking for assistance. Then you will be asked to choose a user name and password. After you have done so and accepted the security policy you will come to a page that says you are registered. You now will have access to the entire site including tools provided on the site.

What resources and tools does the Alumni Online Community provide me with?

The Alumni Online Community offers a variety of tools and resources to its members. The most useful tools or resources for job searching include the Online Directory and Career Center Services.

Tips for Using the Online Directory Component of the Community

After clicking on the Online Directory heading, you will come to a page that says Search the Directory, My Contacts, and View/Update Your Online Directory Listing. Click on Search the Directory. Although you can search by alumni or class year in the simple search, for job searches the best bet would be to perform an advanced search.

The best areas to search by for job search are business city, location, major, company name, degree, year, or job title. Occupation and industry are new fields so, although they may prove to be useful, there is not as much information in these fields as in others.
Only people with an asterisk next to their names are actually registered in the system, meaning they are the only people who know that they are in the system and would be more likely to respond to your inquiries. When contacting alumni it is important to explain to them where you got their information. Additionally, although it is noted on each profile when the profile was last updated, what specific information was updated is not known, therefore current job information for an alumni may not be accurate.
Under search filters, it is important to click on “do not display listings for those who are deceased” if you do not want such listings to come up.
For any search, it is a good idea to sort results by company name or job title.
Lastly, just use commonsense searching techniques-if you start broadly and find that there’s too much information narrow your search. Conversely, if you start narrowly and do not find enough information or any at all (this does happen) then broaden your search if possible. You will want to do a few different searches to get all potential alumni relevant to your search.

Information and Tips on Using Other Areas of the Alumni Online Community

The Alumni Communities section of the Community lists all of the regional alumni communities around the country (ex. Boston, Los Angeles, Southeastern Florida).
The Events Calendar section of the Community lists upcoming alumni events.

Etiquette

When contacting an alumni, introduce yourself, tell the person where you received your information about him or her, spell check if contacting by email or letter, be friendly and polite and not too personal (they do not need to hear your whole life story).
Most importantly, DO NOT ASK FOR A JOB! Essentially the Alumni Online Community is a tool for networking and information gathering rather than a job search method. It should be used to help you explore career options, get job search tips specific to a particular field, and begin networking, rather than a tool used to ask for a job.
You should keep in mind that the alumni’s employment status could have changed since the last update (for instance the person could be out of a job). Thus, it is important to be aware of this possibility and to handle the situation sensitively. Additionally, it should not be assumed that an alumni would want to talk or that the person would be able to talk immediately. It is important to set up a time to talk that is convenient to both you and the alumni.
You should have relevant questions prepared in advance and if applicable, review the website of the alumni’s company. Additionally, a resume should be prepared ahead of time and perhaps sent before the actual conversation with the alumni occurs.
A thank you note should be sent after talking with the alumni.
An email follow up should be sent to the alumni to update him or her (for example, if the person suggests an action plan for the student, the student should send an email with an update of his or her progress).
It would be polite to inform the Alumni Affairs Office of any revisions/changes from information found in the Alumni Online Community. Alumni Affairs can be reached at (508) 793-7166 or clarkalum@clarku.edu.

Sample Email Message

Below is a sample email for contacting an alumni:

Dear Ms. Smith, My name is Joseph Jones and I am a current ____________ (insert class year and major) at Clark University. I obtained your name from the Online Directory on the Alumni Online Community, maintained by the Alumni Affairs Office at Clark University. http://www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/CLK/

According to the information provided in the Online Directory, you have experience in the field of ____________. I, myself, am interested in pursuing a career in this field. I would welcome the opportunity to speak with you in regards to the educational requirements necessary to obtain a position in ______________ as well as types of positions that exist in the field and any other useful advice or contacts. If you would be willing to share this information with me, I would greatly appreciate it. If you think it would be beneficial to discuss these issues over the phone please email me at _____________ so that we can arrange a mutually convenient time. Thank you.