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5 Ways to Advance Your Career with the Trojan Network

  • Alumni

Have you ever applied for a job or submitted a resume online, only to never hear anything one way or another? Have you ever applied for a job for which dozens—or even hundreds—of other applicants were also applying? The process of job hunting can be pretty frustrating, but there is a better way to get through it.

Hiring managers often get resumes from a large volume of applicants, and the unfortunate reality is that many qualified candidates never get the opportunity to interview. This is why it is important to find the inside track. One of the most effective ways to stand out among hundreds of job seekers is to be referred by a colleague whose opinion is valued by the employer. Pursuing a position before it’s posted or advertised is another excellent way to get a leg up on your competition. If you can combine both of those things, all the better.

The key to knowing where the great jobs are, and to knowing who can recommend you for them, lies in your network—your colleagues, friends, family, people you meet in professional groups and events, and fellow Trojans. Your fellow Trojan alumni can also help you learn more about jobs and organizations and help you prepare for job interviews by telling you what to expect from employers they have experience with.

Not sure how to get started connecting professionally with other USC alumni? Here are five ways you can tap into the power of the Trojan network to become an expert at navigating the “hidden job market”:

1. USC Career Network: It’s no secret that Trojans like to help other Trojans. Speak with USC alumni who have volunteered to provide you with career advice and network.

2. connectSC: Get information for Trojan alumni on jobs, employers, USC career center services, workshops, events and programs via this online portal.

3. USC Alumni Association groups: Meet Trojans who can refer you to employers and share information about jobs and organizations.

4. LinkedIn & Facebook groups: Connect with Trojan professionals and groups online to get insider information on jobs not yet posted elsewhere.

5. Fight Online event calendar: Strengthen your ties to the Trojan network by attending an event near you. There are USC alumni events all over the world!

Even if you’re not actively looking for a new job, it's a good idea to be making connections and building and nurturing relationships on a regular basis. Explore new industries and possible career transitions by having informational interviews with others. Be someone your colleagues want to refer, be ready to seize great opportunities when they are shared, and be sure to return the favor and support other Trojans too. Fight on!

To reference the work of our faculty online, we ask that you directly quote their work where possible and attribute it to "FACULTY NAME, a professor in the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work” (LINK: https://dworakpeck.usc.edu)