All companies are looking for young, fresh, motivated, and creative talents: they want to be stimulated by innovative ideas. The perfect talent should be able to challenge their old processes, products, habits, and their old mistakes, to be more data driven and use a more agile thinking pattern to grow successfully.

A new eye is an opportunity to think outside the box, to develop new ideas and to meet your (future) client’s expectations accurately. But where can you find your new shining star, freshly graduated and ready to change your world? In an Alumni Network, of course!

Top 3 reasons to use an alumni network to find your new talent

First thing first: what precisely is an alumnus? An alumnus is a former student who has successfully completed a cursus or graduated from one university or another institution. If we investigate the semantics of the term, “alumnus” comes from Latin and simply means “student”.

Reason #1: You can choose the school that matches your company’s DNA.

Your company is growing and you’re looking for a new talent to keep the growth going? Your talent should be a combination of two things: the best profile as a person (soft skills, personal experiences…) and as a coworker (professional skills, management experience…). In terms of personality, he/she must be a real match to your company culture. And as a coworker, he/she must master some skills required for the job. For every talent you’re looking for, there is certainly one school preparing its students to shine and match your needs!

Indeed, each school has its specialties. If you’re seeking a profile with experience abroad, then consider universities that promote exchange programs and value Erasmus. Some schools want to train tomorrow’s leaders and really focus on entrepreneurial projects combined with academic excellence. For some recruiters, sports activities or involvement in associations also show a real commitment: this sense of membership is a real asset for teamwork! Targeting an alumnus means targeting the school whose outgoing talents match your ideals.

Reason #2: An alumnus allows you to recruit not only one talent, but a network of talents.

When hiring an alumnus, you get a whole network of freshly graduated students (all together called “Alumni”)! Your talent has connections that will open other benefits to you: networking, partnerships, recruitment of similar profiles… It’s more about a community than just a network.

For example, HEC Alumni is one of the oldest social networks in the world. Founded in 1883 by the first graduates of the school, the Association today brings together students and graduates from all HEC programs, with more than 45.000 members around the world. It’s an international community that supports its members throughout their careers.

Reason #3: You can create a tight partnership with the academic world.

Schools and companies both benefit from a close collaboration: while universities allow their students to immerse themselves in the business world, the companies get fresh point of views on their projects and are able to detect new talents. This kind of partnership is a solution where everyone benefits.

That’s why you should encourage your HR team to focus more on connecting with talents. After the recent health crisis, a whole new paradigm of the HR world is emerging. Human resources are disrupted by the digital transformation which has multiplied the channels of acquisition (LinkedIn, social media, websites, forum…) and new elements are becoming increasingly important for talents: ecological sensitivity, quality of life at work… In this regard, Alumni represent a double opportunity: to start forging links with promising students and to learn about the new generation’s aspirations and adapt its company’s policy.

And, for all these reasons… you need to be an alumnus in an Alumni network to find your next job!

We have just described all the reasons why a company must look on Alumni networks to find new talents. Being part of an Alumni network means you use your university’s fame and influence to be noticed among all other candidates. It means taking advantage of the success of your former and present classmates to create a real network of professionals who might hire you. It’s also being able to join forces with your former school buddies to set up a new business.

An Alumni network is a way to bond with a bunch of motivated, graduated, and brilliant talents and for many years.