Latest / The Career Mentor Podcast with Fexingo: Finding Mentors, Sponsors, and Career Advisors / How to Find a Mentor Through Your Alumni Network
Transcript
- Lucas: So, we've talked a lot about finding mentors through work, through conferences, through volunteer gigs. But there's one channel that a lot of people overlook, and it's sitting right there in your inbox, probably from your alma mater. Luna: The alumni network. Yeah, it's funny — people pay tens of thousands for that degree, but then they never tap into the network after graduation. Lucas: Exactly. And I want to talk about a specific case today. A friend of mine — let's call her Sarah — she was a marketing manager at Procter & Gamble, about eight years in, and she felt stuck. She wanted to move into a director role, but she didn't have a sponsor inside the company. Luna: Classic mid-career plateau. So how did the alumni network help? Lucas: She went back to her University of Michigan Ross School of Business alumni directory. She filtered by industry — consumer packaged goods — and by graduation year, looking for people who were about ten years ahead of her. She found a woman named Lisa who had been a classmate of her cousin, actually, and was now a VP at General Mills. Luna: Did she just send a cold LinkedIn request? Lucas: No, and that's the key. She went through the alumni portal, found Lisa's work email through the directory, and wrote a very targeted note. She mentioned a specific marketing campaign she admired that Lisa had led at General Mills, and she asked for twenty minutes to hear about how Lisa navigated the jump from manager to director. Luna: That's so much better than 'Hi, I'm a fellow alum, can I pick your brain?' Lucas: Right. And it worked. Lisa agreed to a phone call. That call turned into a quarterly check-in, and over two years, Lisa became a real sponsor — she recommended Sarah for a director role when an opening came up at General Mills. Sarah got the job. Luna: That's the dream scenario. But I've also seen it go the other way. I had a friend who reached out to an alum from his undergrad — a big state school — and he got a one-word reply: 'Busy.' So it doesn't always work. Lucas: No, and you have to be strategic. The mistake people make is they go too broad. They email every alum in their industry with a generic template. You need to narrow it down to people who have a reason to say yes. Shared identity — same major, same club, same hometown. Or, like Sarah, a personal connection through someone else. Luna: And also the timing matters. If you reach out during earnings season or right before a product launch, you're more likely to get a brush-off. Lucas: Absolutely. So let's break down a three-step approach. Step one: identify the right alumni. Don't just search by company. Use the alumni directory's advanced filters — graduation year range, function, location. Target people who are about two levels above where you want to be. Not the CEO, not the intern. The person who made the transition you want, five to ten years ago. Luna: Step two is the outreach itself. What's the formula? Lucas: Three sentences. First sentence: common ground — 'I'm also a Ross MBA, class of 2018.' Second sentence: specific compliment or observation — 'I read your interview about the Cheerios relaunch and thought your approach to brand storytelling was brilliant.' Third sentence: a clear, low-friction ask — 'Could we grab a virtual coffee for 15 minutes? I'd love to hear how you made the leap to VP.' Luna: And then step three is what you do after they say yes. That's where most people drop the ball. Lucas: Exactly. You have to come prepared. Have your career question ready — not 'What should I do?' but 'I'm considering moving from marketing to product management. How did you evaluate that trade-off?' And then, crucially, follow up with a thank-you note that includes a specific action you took based on their advice. That shows you're serious and builds trust. Luna: Over time, that turns a one-time chat into an ongoing relationship. And that's how you get a mentor, not just a conversation. Lucas: Right. And I think it's worth noting that alumni networks are especially valuable for first-generation professionals or people who don't have family connections in their industry. It's a built-in pool of people who already have something in common with you. Luna: That's a good point. And if we've helped you think through a career move or a networking strategy like this one, I just want to mention something briefly. We keep this show ad-free on purpose — no sponsors, no commercials interrupting the conversation. If that's something you value, you can support the show at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a simple way to keep us independent. Lucas: Yeah, and it really does make a difference. Every contribution goes directly into producing more episodes like this one. So if you find value in what we do, that's the link. Otherwise, let's keep going. Luna: So, back to the alumni network — what about people who went to a school that doesn't have a strong alumni directory? Or maybe they graduated from a small liberal arts college with a tiny network? Lucas: That's a real challenge. But even small schools often have a LinkedIn alumni page or a Facebook group. You can also look for alumni chapters in your city — they host events where you can meet people in person. And if that fails, you can look at professional organizations that have alumni-like structures, like the National Black MBA Association or the Forté Foundation for women in business. Luna: Or you can create your own mini alumni network. I know someone who started a monthly Zoom call for alumni from her undergrad who worked in tech. Now it's got fifty regulars and she's found two mentors through it. Lucas: That's brilliant. Because the key isn't just finding a mentor — it's building a community where mentorship happens organically. And alumni networks are one of the easiest ways to start that. Luna: So if a listener wants to try this today, what's the one concrete action they can take? Lucas: Go to your alumni directory or LinkedIn, filter by your target industry and a graduation year about ten years ahead of yours. Find three people who have job titles you aspire to. Spend ten minutes researching each one — read their recent articles, watch their conference talks. Then send each a three-sentence email using the formula we talked about. Do that this week. Luna: And if you get a 'busy' reply or no reply at all, don't take it personally. Move on to the next person. It's a numbers game, but with a targeted approach, the odds are in your favor. Lucas: Exactly. And remember, the alumni network is a two-way street. Once you're established, you should pay it forward. That's how the system stays healthy. Luna: Alright, so to recap: use your alumni directory to find people two levels above you, craft a specific and respectful ask, and follow up to build a relationship. That's how you turn a school connection into a career mentor. Lucas: And that's all for today. Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time. Luna: Take care, everyone.