Whether you’re a current college student or you graduated years ago, you have access to a wide network of alumni who attended the same school as you. By tapping into alumni networks, you could make valuable connections, learn from experts and even get your foot in the door at a prospective employer. So how can alumni help students jumpstart their careers? And what steps can you take to make the most of alumni networks? Here are five ways to connect with fellow graduates of your alma mater (even as you figure out what career is right for you ): Set up a meeting with your career or alumni services office Join online alumni groups Introduce yourself over email Attend local alumni meet-ups and events Set up informational interviews or shadow days Got help from your alumni network? Don’t forget to pay it forward 1. Set up a meeting with your career or alumni services office Colleges offer a wealth of free resources to students and alumni , including career and alumni services. If you’re...

When you’re getting ready to launch your business, there’s a lot at stake. You want to make sure that everything is exactly right so you can set yourself up for success. Though it’s important to be prepared, it’s common to feel like there’s just never really a right time to take that leap. While it may not be your forever plan, it’s not the worst idea to launch your business part-time, allowing you to tackle it on the side while you’re still getting a steady paycheck and health benefits from your current employer. Launching your business now may make you a part of a growing trend: diversity in business ownership is increasing across the board. According to the most recent U.S. Small Business Administration data, there are around 8 million minority-owned businesses (accounting for around 29 percent of all U.S. businesses). In particular, there’s been an increase in both Black and Hispanic business ownership, (9.5 percent and 12.2 percent of all U.S.-based businesses, respectively),...