Alumni Online Community Networking Directions

First time users:

• Access the Office of Alumni Relations' web page at: www.rochester.edu/alumni and follow links to the on-line community. You will need to acquire a “Security Number” to register for the system. This link is found in the Stay Connected section of OAR’s web page.
• Register for the on-line community.
• Once you’ve gained access to the community please update yoUR own information in the system!!

Tips for successfully searching and networking using the on-line community:

• Access the directory via the Office of Alumni Relations' web page www.rochester.edu/alumni and follow the links to the on-line community found in the Stay Connected section of OAR's web page.
• Log-in using the “name” and “password” that you set-up when you registered for the system. Forgot your “name” or “password”? Click on the “Lost Your ID or Password” link on the Alumni On-line Community welcome page.
• Click on the “Advanced Search” link at the bottom of the screen.
• Enter your search criteria by using the blank fields and pull down menus.
• You may experience some problems with the system if you use AOL or some versions of Internet Explorer. If using these internet providers, when you receive the results of your search print the page(s). With some systems, once you access an individual’s record and try to go back to your list you may be taken back to a “search screen” instead of your list.
• It may be worth starting a search with broad parameters and narrowing if necessary.
• Don’t forget about the “sort results by” option at the bottom of the search screen. When conducting a networking search, in many cases, it is useful to sort by employer so you can easily scan the list for those you are most interested in contacting. Remember that those alumni who have left the employer field blank will appear at the beginning of your list.
• If searching for alumni in a specific occupation you may find that there is more than one appropriate option in the “occupation” pull down menu.

  Sample search strategy: If you’re looking for alumni in Banking/Finance in NYC…..
  In the advanced search screen select:
  Occupation: Banking
  Business State: New York
  Sort by: Employer
  This will yield more than 100 individuals, but remember you searched by NY State so you will need to browse the records to find those located within NYC.

  You may also want to try searching additional occupations including:
  Financial Services
  Investment Management / Counseling / Broker
  And others who may be appropriate for your networking needs.

• When contacting other UR alumni who you’ve found through the network always remember to identify yourself as a UR alum.
• Don’t be afraid to say that you’re looking for a job but don’t assume that the alum you’re networking with will be able to offer you one. Seek advice, information, suggested strategies and names of others who may be able to help. Be polite and, perhaps, overly formal with your first communiqués (by email or mail, followed by phone). Again, networking by nature involves asking for assistance, but one should never assume that the response will be positive. Being more formal at first allows for polite regrets, as well as enthusiastically positive responses to your queries.

The Career Center is dedicated to assisting you with strategy development, networking, job search, graduate school and related matters. Please feel free to communicate by phone or email if you cannot schedule in person sessions. For information contact: Burt Nadler at 585-275-2366 or email: bnadler@mail.rochester.edu
Good luck and Meliora!!