Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be an advertising executive, a lawyer, a teacher, or an investment banker, but don’t know anyone in the field and can’t imagine how you might find someone to tell you what it’s all about? Are you afraid that you won’t know anyone in the field or know anything about a particular career until you get out there and start applying for jobs or internships? Doesn’t it make sense to speak to someone about what they do, and how they got there before you go out and try it for yourself? The UCLA Alumni Career Network can help!

The UCLA Alumni Association and the Student Alumni Association (SAA) have developed a Career Network database through which students can search for UCLA alumni to contact and speak with about their career. Former Bruins have graciously volunteered their time and energy to talk with you about what they do, and provide helpful suggestions on how you can get started preparing for your career. All you have to do is log on to the site at UCLAlumni.net, enter your student ID number, and begin searching for alumni who either graduated in your major, or who are working in a career that’s interesting to you.

Alex Kaplan, former director of the SAA Career Network, and President of SAA (2002-2003), has utilized the Career Network database extensively, and says it definitely helped him to explore career options and make the most appropriate career decision for him. As an aspiring lawyer, Alex used the database to contact several UCLA alumni employed in various fields of law. He spoke with many and visited a few, trying to get a broad perspective on the career opportunities in law. Alex says the information they were able to provide, as well as their insights and suggestions were quite useful, and ultimately helped him decide to pursue a future career in entertainment law. With over 3500 registered alumni in the database, the opportunity to find several contacts in almost any career field are quite promising.

But the Career Network Database is not the only option for connecting with Bruin alumni to find out more about careers. The SAA Career Network also hosts several Career Networking Programs that provide students the opportunity to meet with former Bruins to learn more about careers. For example, "Alternative Careers in Medicine," was presented with a UCLA alumni panel representing several health professions from nursing, pharmacy, public health, and dentistry. Students had the opportunity not only to learn about the panelists’ career paths and how they decided on a career outside the traditional medical school route, but were also able to network with these alumni to ask more personalized questions in a roundtable format. These types of programs cover a wide range of career topics and are open to all students. Other SAA networking programs included the very popular “Entertainment Night," “Careers in the Humanities and Social Sciences," and “Careers in Business,” each of which followed a similar format.

In addition to the career network programs, The SAA Career Network, in conjunction with the Alumni Association, also offer a very unique program entitled, “Interview with a Bruin.” During this program, current students have the opportunity to practice interviewing for a job with a former UCLA student, who will provide constructive feedback to assist you in becoming an expert interviewee. Not only does this program offer assistance with how to interview, but also provides yet another opportunity to expand your network and make contacts in your career field of interest.

Each of these career networking opportunities is free to all UCLA students, and the benefits to connecting with UCLA alumni are endless. From exploring career options to finding out what may be right for you, to making connections for possible internships, and learning strategies to help you succeed on your path to a future career, remember that Bruins want to help Bruins. As UCLA alumnus Chris Massey (BA, Political Science and History, ’96) remarked, “When I see a resume from a UCLA student or graduate, I know what they had to accomplish, both to get accepted into UCLA and to achieve the demands required of an elite undergraduate education. There is an instant connection and understanding of that process, and I would immediately want to talk with them.” Massey was the Legislative Deputy for Councilwoman Jannice Hahn, and remarked that networking with other Bruins was essential in securing his first position upon graduating from UCLA.

Go to the UCLA Alumni Association's web site and get started making those connections. Visit us at the UCLA Career Center if you need help with how to conduct an informational interview, or to find more information about various career fields. Keep an eye out and your mind open to any opportunity to network with UCLA Bruins.