You’ve likely heard how important it is to network. Professors, family, career advisers—everyone insists that a strong network is just as important to achieving your professional goals as a resume or cover letter. That’s all well and good—but how do you build up such a network? LinkedIn is a good place to start, but many feel that it can be overwhelming and impersonal.
Enter Pioneer Connect. Like LinkedIn, it is an online platform where you can find professionals from a variety of backgrounds and industries. Unlike LinkedIn, however, Pioneer Connect is exclusive to the University of Denver community and you don’t have to be connected to someone to reach out. What truly makes Pioneer Connect special though, is that this community is made up entirely of Pioneers that have expressly volunteered to support other Pioneers. No need for nerves – Pioneer Connect members are waiting to help!
If you aren’t yet a member of Pioneer Connect, join today! We recommend signing in with your LinkedIn credentials—doing so will automatically update your Pioneer Connect profile to match your LinkedIn page every time you sign in online. After you’ve completed your profile, you can begin to search for students, alumni, parents and faculty within the community. (Check out this short tutorial on how to find Pioneers in the system.) Once you’ve found someone you’re interested in connecting with, Pioneer Connect will provide an email template to help. The system will remind users to respond to your request, but don’t be shy to follow up yourself!
Be sure to review some of Career & Professional Development’s informational interviewing resources, to help you prepare for the conversations you’ll be initiating. If you need additional help with Pioneer Connect, be sure to reach out to your career advisor.
