The Dartmouth Career Network is made up of more than 23,000 alumni who have volunteered, on a reunion surveys, to serve as career advisors to students and alumni. The network database is updated every six months.

Purpose of the Dartmouth Career Network

The purpose of the career network is to assist undergraduates and alumni in their 1) career exploration, 2) job search, or 3) graduate school choices by connecting them with alumni who may provide information on any of the following:

• their occupation and related ones
• their graduate school experience
• trends in their industry/career field
• their current and previous employers
• relocation and cost-of-living in their location

Please note: The career advisor's role is to provide information and advice, NOT to get you a job. Your role is to use this information to strategize your next steps. Your thoughtful, considerate, and appropriate use of the career advisors' information is critical to maximizing your contact with them!

Recommended Procedures

Write an introductory email or letter to the career advisor, indicating that you'd like to follow up with a phone call to conduct an informational interview and saying when you'd like to call.

If the career advisor has given his or her home address, make your follow-up phone call between 6 and 8 pm in the time zone in which the advisor lives.

If the career advisor has given his or her business address, make your call during the day. If someone else answers the phone, it's important to say "Mr./Ms.____ is a career advisor at my alma mater, Dartmouth College, and he/she is expecting my call."

Send a thank-you to the career advisor within two days after the call. (Not only does this show proper courtesy, but it's a discreet way to keep your name in front of the advisor in case an opportunity comes up.)

Sample Introductory Letter/Email

First paragraph:

I obtained your name through the Dartmouth Career Network as I understand that you have offered to be a career advisor. I identified you ________ [because of what--his or her occupation, graduate program, career field/industry, or employer or...?]. I am currently ________ [doing what -- exploring internships, investigating occupations, considering graduate school, researching the advisor's employer, ... or?] and would like to have an informational interview with you.

Second paragraph:

Because you are NOT enclosing a resume in your initial letter, summarize briefly your interests, experiences, skills, etc. that relate to why you selected this career advisor.

Third paragraph:

I will be calling you in ________ [3 to 4 days if you emailed the advisor; a week if you wrote a letter] to have our conversation. I look forward to speaking with you.