One of the biggest motivations that encouraged me to join a sorority was gaining a range of networking opportunities. Both of my parents were in a fraternal organization and told me about the network of sisters that help you look for jobs, update your resume and connect you with people they know.
They were right, I did expand my connections within my chapter and the sorority community. When I graduated from college, I joined an Alpha Sigma Tau (AST) alumnae Facebook group. In this online community, I was able to gain advice from older alumnae about the real world. They gave advice about buying my first home or car, developing new relationships and maintaining the ones I already had, self-care and more. The most important tip they offered was about networking and finding a job.
Leveraging the Connection of Sorority Women
One day, I got a notification from the group page and found it was about new graduates looking for a job during the COVID-19 pandemic. After reading the message, I thought it would be an opportunity for me to introduce myself to any older alumnae and network with them. I wrote a simple message explaining who I was. I shared that I graduated with a degree in marketing, and I was looking to pursue a career in the social media industry and wanted to connect with any alumnae who can provide me with advice.
To my luck, an alumna responded to my message and we connected! We chatted over Zoom and talked about our collegiate experiences with AST. I told her about my goals with networking and my passion for social media and content creation. It turns out that she owned her own design business and was looking for a social media creator! I was shocked yet so happy that this opportunity was offered to me! I was so excited to start my first freelancing job, and it was through my sorority connections. Not only did she hire me, but she also introduced me to her network of female entrepreneurs who also needed help with social media. Not only did I get hired for my first freelancing job, but I also became a member of another supportive community!
Recognizing the Opportunities Sorority Members Offers
It has been over five months since I became a freelance writer and content creator for my sister’s design business. I also manage an Instagram account for another one of our networks, and even have others reaching out to me for tips and advice on social media! If it were not for joining a sorority, I would not have landed my first freelancing job right out of college.
Becoming a sorority woman allowed me to network and meet other sorority women, which in the end, helped me find my very first job. I could not have been more blessed than I am now to have such a supportive group of women who are there to help you start your career, especially during a time like this. Sisterhood is one of the greatest things that a woman could ever experience in her life because it is a community filled with supportive women who will help you in a time of need.
To this day, I always think about what my parents said and how right they were. Joining a sorority gave me a network that helped me land my first job, but to me, it was more than that. I don’t just have a network that helped me land my first job, I have a sisterhood that helped me start my career.
