social Capital accelerates career journeys: How To Forge Connections Between First-Gen Students And Senior Professionals

Basta recently released our highly-anticipated Social Capital (SoCap) Insights, packed with the latest learnings on how to accelerate the careers of first-gen students. Leveraging over 1 million data points representing 10,000 students (and counting!) who have taken Seekr, Basta’s proprietary career navigation survey, SoCap Insights offers novel takeaways on how connections to senior professionals are the key to unlocking success for first-gen job seekers.

At a series of virtual events announcing the the SoCap release, Basta Founder and CEO Sheila Sarem, along with an esteemed panel of experts in economic mobility and career success, fielded questions from our 200+ attendees, who included university and nonprofit leaders, career readiness practitioners, funders, and talent and recruitment professionals. Based on SoCap Insights and the panel response, here are pro tips on connecting first-gen job seekers to senior professionals.

Expand your network so job seekers can expand theirs.

Colleges, universities, and youth-serving orgs often have untapped connections to senior professionals. Are there older alumni who haven’t been contacted in a while, or who have only been solicited for donations? Who are professors and administrators who are also accomplished professionals in their industries? What if career services hired industry leaders to work directly with students in-house? Institutions and youth-serving organizations should be looking to their board members, major funders, and partner orgs to foster relationships and create intentional spaces for young people to liaise with folks in positional power.

As a career success professional, you have access to organizations or businesses that may be eager to partner with your org or institution. One of our partners, for example, collaborates  with local companies to have employees teach students professional skills. They have students work with the professionals to present a project as an opportunity to showcase their learnings to other members of the partner company. That way, students gain skills and connections, while the partner orgs gain access to new ideas and untapped talent, while working to achieve its CSR goals.

Give opportunities for exposure, networking, and practice. Then…repeat!

Exposure and networking! Networking and exposure! With time, practice, and opportunity, this one-two punch is a powerful combo for first-gen job seekers. Professional exposure — as in, visiting workplaces, meeting professionals, and learning hands-on about roles across industries  — is even more valuable than internships are: first-gen students who are exposed to 3 or more professional industries are 90% more likely to land a first-round job interview and twice as likely to advance past the first round. 

Networking with professionals across industries is critical for first-gen students… and it can also be intimidating. Focus on “de-risking,” giving students enough networking practice within the program so they are prepared to do it on their own. Start with opportunities to practice at low-stakes events, like networking with partners who don’t hire for entry-level positions, so the students don’t feel as much pressure. It’s important to consider “the continuum of exposure” — everything from watching a panel discussion to a long-term mentorship — and catering exposure opportunities to where each student is on their journey.

Then, when students gain confidence in lower-stakes networking, they’ll be prepared to cultivate relationships one on one. Because senior professionals may have limited time, try short-cycle mentoring, like pairing a professional with a student throughout the course of one job search. This way, there’s a specific goal for a set period of time, making it easier for the mentor to participate.

Have job seekers map and organize their networks for targeted outreach.

Not all connections are created equal. Students should consider “Who do I know? And who do I need to know?” and strategize their outreach from there. Of their existing networks, young people can bucket their contacts into champions (connections who will advocate for them) and cultivating (relationships that need strengthening). They can use these connections as a foundation to build an “employer advisory committee” with representation across various industries that connect to their area of study and their dream first job.

When it comes to cultivating new relationships, many professors and career success staff are also well-connected professionals in their industry. While younger alumni may be easier to reach, job seekers should collaborate with faculty and their career center to reach out to older alumni, who are further along in their careers.

Share these practical tips with students.

Here is a handful of pro tips from our expert panel:

✅ Apply and reach out early and often, and stay persistent even if you don’t receive a response the first time: “9 times out of 10, the connection just forgot to respond.”

✅ Follow up and invest the time so a mentor can actually get to know you beyond a program or event: “That way, they’ll be better equipped to give you personalized advice and support.”

✅ Share connections, information, and gratitude: “When it comes to networking, be a giver (not just a taker), and your network will return the favor.”

✅ Workshop your outreach materials, like honing your asks, outreach emails, and follow-up correspondence: “Mapping and strategizing are important — and so are these tactical steps.”

For more info on powering first-gen success, check out SoCap Insights, dive deeper into our learnings from this story in The 74, and follow Basta on LinkedIn.