If you’re graduating this year, be sure to stay in touch with Kent Business School. Not only does it benefit you personally, but as KBS’s Floortje Hoette describes in her blog post, it could also be in your professional interests.
As we approach the end of our academic year, I am thinking back to my final year at university and the mixed feelings I had about stepping into the ‘real’ world. I was both keen to prove myself and incredibly insecure about my abilities at the same time. Of course, I stayed in touch with my university friends, I had spent the best years of my life with them and our friendships were valuable to me.
In the final months, as we all tried to make the transition into the world of work, we discussed the trials and tribulations of securing that all-important first position and helped one another out where we could. We checked one another’s CVs, shared our personal and professional networks, and made introductions. In doing this we shaped our thoughts about the path we wanted to pursue. With the help of my friends and their friends, I gained confidence, figured out where I wanted to go, had some really interesting conversations along the way before finally landing a job.
Networks are important. Of course, you will secure a job on skills and experience alone, but there are so many people out there who can (and are happy to!) help steer you in the right direction. Make use of these opportunities whenever you can.
At Kent Business School, we are keen to create an environment where our alumni can meet, share fond memories, and support each other in the ‘real’ world. We organise an annual alumni event in London, open up our business events to all alumni, and help maintain a global network of former KBS students. We want our KBS alumni community to be an ever-growing, dynamic active network, where everyone feels supported, wherever in the world you might find yourself.
We are calling on all our alumni to do the following:
1. Register as an alumnus
More recent graduates will have been registered automatically. However, if you don’t have a log-in, please register as an alumnus.
2. Log-in and check your details
In order to inform you of any upcoming alumni events that might interest you, we need to ensure that the contact details we hold for you are up-to-date. With the development of your career it is likely that you may change your address and telephone number from time to time, so please log-in and check your contact details.
3. Become a KBS Ambassador
As well as being a KBS alumnus, you could consider becoming a KBS Ambassador. As an ambassador, you will be a regional representative of the KBS alumni community, help us promote the School, provide light support within the organisation of KBS alumni activities and be a point of contact for KBS alumni visiting the region. Register as a KBS Ambassador.
4. Attend an alumni event
We will update you with any local, regional, national or international events that are happening in your area. We warmly invite you to attend our annual event in London. This year it will take place on Thursday 29 June 2017. More information about programme, time and venue, to follow, but please reserve the space in your diary.
5. Visit us at Kent Business School
Whether you studied at Canterbury or Medway, we’d love to hear from you. The Alumni Team are located in the ASPIRE space (room 103) in the Sibson building on the Canterbury campus, and would love to hear your thoughts on what you think we should be doing for KBS alumni.
Join us and be part of a thriving alumni community.
Professional Services Blogger:
Floortje Hoette
My name is Floortje Hoette, I am Kent Business School’s Business Advancement and Enterprise Officer. I have over 15 years of international experience in project management as well as several years’ experience of managing a family run tree surgery business in the UK.