Being a member of a sorority provides you with many opportunities throughout your college career, whether it’s leadership experience, service opportunities or long-lasting friendships that last well beyond your collegiate years. Fostering professional connections is just another way your sorority experience can help prepare you for life after college. It can seem daunting at first, but your sisters are a great resource to help you develop strong professional skills and connections that will benefit you later in your career.
Getting Started
Building a professional network does not have to begin the first day that you walk into a networking event. It can actually start the first time you sit down with another sister in your major or field of study. Is there an older sister in the same major as you? Set up a time to meet with her and go over your academic plans. Older members can give you tips on which classes and instructors will help prepare you and they may even be able to help you study. These earlier connections will help set you up for success so that you can focus on your academic goals. Some organizations may have programs where they pair members together based on their majors to get their mentoring relationship started early, be sure to take advantage of all the resources your sisters can provide.
Getting Feedback
Use the community that you have available to you when you begin searching for career opportunities, whether that is at the end of your college career or just a job over the summer break. Many members in your organization will have experience interviewing for jobs, writing resumes and cover letters and completing applications, reach out to them and ask if they have any tips or tricks for someone going through the process for the first time. If you are applying for jobs in a specific area and know another member involved professionally, reach out to them and ask if they would be willing to review your resume or help you prepare with a mock interview. Getting feedback from others will allow you to grow and gain more information to better prepare you for an interview or your career.
Connecting with Alumnae
Once you know what major you intend to pursue and have started to find career opportunities, you might find yourself wanting to speak to someone currently working in the field that you are interested in. Sorority alumnae are accomplished women and a great resource for their younger sisters to connect with, but you may not immediately know how to make that connection. Some chapters will have a leadership position dedicated to keeping the collegiate chapter in contact with alumna members, in this case, connect with that member and see if there is an alumna that works in the field that you are interested in. If there is not a current leadership position dedicated to that connection, find the contact information for the local alumnae chapter, they will have contact information for the locally active members and will be able to assist you in getting in contact with them. Our members are proud to represent our organizations and connect with other members who will be positive representatives of our organizations in our respective professional fields.
Take advantage of the opportunities you have as a sorority woman to connect with other women around the world. Build a network, and keep up those connections as the years go one. You never know what you can learn from others and how you might be helpful to someone in the future.