Alumni Network Engagement

Consulting firms don’t just advise the C-suite, they supply it. McKinsey & Company, Accenture, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) have quietly become the most prolific breeding grounds for CEOs. It’s not a coincidence. These firms are structured to exit the majority of the talent they bring in, they systematically turn that attrition into an asset. Their model is built around hiring brilliant people, giving them a crash course in problem-solving at scale, and then watching them graduate into leadership roles across industry. When those alumni step into executive roles, they don’t forget where they came from. They bring with them the consulting playbook, the relationships, and often a deep loyalty to the firm that helped shape their thinking. In many cases, they become clients and the flywheel turns. McKinsey, in particular, has mastered this system. Its alumni famously sit on the leadership teams of the world’s largest organizations, across every sector. What’s striking is how easy they make it to leave, if you're going to the "right" place. Jumping ship to a direct competitor is a no-go. But stepping into an industry role, even at a Fortune 500, is often encouraged. Some firms even offer transition support or alumni programs. Why? Because every alum who lands well becomes a long-term asset: a client, a referrer, a brand advocate. So while most industries fight to retain top performers, Consulting firms quietly build pipelines of future clients and power brokers. It’s a long game and one that more organizations could learn from. After all, what better growth strategy than placing your DNA into the boardrooms of your future customers?

Public health programs are underusing their alumni—and it’s costing their students. There’s power in your people. But if your alumni network only shows up for fundraising, you’re doing it wrong. Here’s how universities can activate alumni for workforce readiness: 1️⃣Build a speaker series from your own grads Focus on career pivots, consulting, entrepreneurship, and how they got their first job. 2️⃣Create an alumni-led mentorship program Match grads with current students based on niche, identity, and goals. Not just who’s “available.” 3️⃣Host live Q&As with alumni consultants, analysts, and execs Let students hear how people actually landed roles—and what no one told them. 4️⃣Leverage alumni in job placement Turn your network into a talent pipeline for internships, contracts, and roles. When alumni are involved, students don’t just imagine what’s possible—they see it. Tag your MPH program and share some ideas that could help them utilize their alumni more! If any MPH program is interested in creating something like this then I'd love to partner to make it happen! Please send me a message and let's chat! #AlumniPower #MentorshipMatters #PublicHealthCareers #MPHNetwork #PHCConnections

Stop 'Offboarding,' Start Alumni-Building - How can ServiceNow help? The way you treat employees on the way out is the new benchmark for your employer brand. Don't just give a severance and revoke access. The most future-ready companies will invest in a robust Alumni Portal for past employees. This is not philanthropy; it's a strategic talent play: For the Brand: Alumni become your most authentic ambassadors, strengthening your reputation in the market. For Talent Pipeline: You keep the door open for boomerang hires—experienced, cultural fits who return with new skills. For the Community: You provide essential networking and job resources to people who need it most, demonstrating your long-term commitment. The companies that win the next decade won't just be the most efficient; they'll be the ones that prioritize human dignity and build enduring relationships with their entire talent ecosystem. If you are using #ServiceNow, build a compassionate Alumni portal that continues to serve the team members that are no longer with the company and provide them information that will help them in the transition. This is not only the right thing to do, it is good business, saving frustration and boosting self-service. Layoffs are a reset. Compassion is the non-negotiable feature. #AI #Layoffs #EmployeeExperience #FutureOfWork #HR #Leadership

The biggest reason qualified candidates don't get interviews? They don't have advocates. And the biggest reason people don't have advocates? They're not having enough informational interviews. Here's how to turn strangers into connections, connections into referrals, referrals into advocates, and advocates into interviews: STEP 1: Find Your People Go to LinkedIn → My Network → Connections → Search with Filters → All Filters Target company: Pick ONE company you want to work for Past company: Your strongest alumni network (where you spent the most time) Results: Focus on 2nd and 3rd degree connections STEP 2: Send Simple Connection Requests Keep it basic: "Hi [Name], I'm currently at [Your Company]. I see you worked there as well. I love connecting with former [Company] alums and would love to connect with you here on LinkedIn." That's it. No sales pitch. No job ask. Just genuine connection. STEP 3: Scale Your Outreach Minimum: 30 connection requests per week Maximum: 100 per week (LinkedIn's limit) Most people send 3 requests and wonder why networking "doesn't work." STEP 4: Warm Up the Relationship Once they accept, engage with their content. Comment thoughtfully. Share insights. Build genuine rapport before ever mentioning career goals. While I was at Google, I referred nine people into the company. Several of those started as complete strangers who reached out through shared connections or alumni networks. They built real relationships first, added value to my network, and earned my advocacy. The result? They got interviews at one of the most competitive companies in tech. Stop treating LinkedIn like a job board. Start treating it like relationship-building infrastructure. Final tips: 1. Alumni connections have higher response rates than cold outreach 2. Shared experiences create instant credibility 3. People want to help - but only after they know and trust you If this helped you rethink your networking strategy, please repost ♻️ to help other ambitious professionals level up their approach.

Let me say this with love: You’re not the only great place someone will ever work. And that’s okay. But if you treat every exit like a betrayal, you’re burning bridges that could’ve become pipelines. Stop acting like folks disappear once they leave our payroll. Start thinking like a university: → Alumni events → Continued learning offers → Occasional check-ins → Rehire opportunities Your alumni network might just be: → Your next board member → Your future client → Your best referral Retention is bigger than tenure. It’s about relationships that outlast roles.