In recent surveys, alumni associations across the country have asked their alumni what is the most important thing that the organization provides for individuals. Universally, the answer is career and networking opportunities. This demand has intensified as the economy is slow to recover.

The Arkansas Alumni Association has heard that call and has developed, in collaboration with the university’s Career Development Center, the Razorback Career Link (RCL).

A benefit of Alumni Association membership, the RCL connects employers and potential employees.  Through the link, alumni have access to communications, programs and services to enhance their careers.

Hundreds of alumni employers utilize this tool when seeking quality applicants for open positions.  Alumni job-seekers find a low-cost way to locate job opportunities ranging from entry level to seasoned professionals. Moreover it is a means of helping our alumni hire alumni.

RCL enables our members to establish and leverage connections within the alumni association as additional resources to attain professional goals. The network gives job seekers the opportunity to make contacts throughout the state, region and country. Registered alumni can create a career action plan, build a professional network of contacts, and access networking events and professional publications.

A tool within the RCL is the NACELink Network, the largest network of college and university career centers which includes more than 5 million employers. A snapshot of the network from this week reveals:

  • 354 Arkansas companies registered as employers on RCL
  • 451 total registered employers on the Arkansas Network
  • Current job posts by area:                           Northwest Arkansas (NWA)        116

Arkansas                                              297

Dallas/Fort Worth                              21

Memphis                                               15

Missouri                                               156

Texas                                                    158

In the future, the Alumni Association will be sponsoring quarterly programs in NWA (sometimes in cooperation with the NWA Chapter’s Young Alumni group). The NWA Young Alumni sponsor additional events throughout the year in partnership with NWA Young Professionals.

Social networking also is a big piece of this pie. LinkedIn and Twitter have become great tools for connecting. According to a recent survey by Econsultancy, only 10% of companies are NOT engaged in social media. LinkedIn has become THE place to build a professional network with more than 120 million members worldwide.

Likewise, Twitter has become a great place to “follow” articles, tips, links and job alerts through Twitter feeds. The Arkansas Alumni Career Network hashtag is #AACN.

We urge association members to use this benefit. You can contact Julie Preddy in our office through any of the following links:

Phone:    479-575-6368

Email: jpreddy@uark.edu

LinkedIn:   www.linkedin/in/juliepreddy

Twitter: @juliepreddy