You can find out what they did after graduation and how they got there, and reach out to them for advice and inspiration.

How to connect with alumni

Find out how to connect with alumni on LinkedIn in four simple steps:

Step 1: Create a profile on LinkedIn

Go to www.linkedin.com to sign up. You can find advice on creating and developing your profile on our LinkedIn page.

We can give you feedback on your LinkedIn profile - book an online CV appointment through MyCareer for a 15-minute review.

For more advice and tips on using LinkedIn, see our Making Contacts & Using LinkedIn events page.

Step 2: Join Newcastle alumni groups on LinkedIn

Joining groups helps you find people and connect more easily. The Alumni Association’s group is a great way to get started. You can read, start and join discussions, view profiles and even message group members without being connected to them directly.

You can also join:

• START UP - connect with like-minded people within this inclusive community for Newcastle University START UP founders, freelancers and friends
• Business School Alumni - the official group for alumni and students of Newcastle University Business School

Step 3: Use LinkedIn's Alumni tool

Want to find out what graduates have done with a similar degree? Interested in a particular company or sector? Want to work in a specific location?

LinkedIn's Alumni tool lets you view details of more than 134,000 Newcastle alumni worldwide. You can see where they’re located, which companies they work for, what they do, what they studied and what they’re skilled at.

Advice on contacting alumni 

Before you contact anyone on LinkedIn, think carefully about what you want to know and how best to make use of a graduate's valuable time.

Do some background research on their role and organisation and tell them what you already know, to help them tailor their advice to your needs.

If you’re asking to connect with them, make sure you're on their full profile first, then add a note to personalise your request. Don’t just send the default message.

Explain who you are and why you’re contacting them. If they accept your connection request, send a follow-up message thanking them and go into more detail about what you’d like to know.

Top tips

Our alumni are busy and may not be able to respond immediately. If you don’t receive a reply, review your message to make sure it was appropriate. You could then send a polite follow-up email after a week or so to check that they received your original message.

When you receive a reply, please acknowledge and thank the graduates for taking the time to respond. Keep in touch with them and update them with your progress. You never know when they may hear of a relevant opportunity they could recommend you for.

It can be useful to talk to others in the field and the graduate may be able to suggest other people who can help you. Get specific names and titles and ask if you can use the graduate’s name when setting up any future contact.

Example message to a graduate

Hi…

I found your profile in the Newcastle University Alumni Association group. I’m studying marketing at Newcastle and am really interested in a career in digital marketing.

I saw that you’ve had a variety of digital marketing roles and I’m keen to get your advice. Would you be willing to answer a few questions about your experience?

Many thanks

Your name

Questions to ask

You should try to get advice about a role or industry to help you in your career planning and job search. Don’t ask directly for a job or work experience.

Try to avoid asking general questions you could easily find the answer to from the company website. Use this opportunity to ask specific questions - perhaps two or three initially.

More help

If you need more help using social media for your career, please book an online information appointment through MyCareer. 

Take part our careers workshops on using social media - for dates and times, see Events.