Five Reasons to Join UCSF Connect
Have you heard of UCSF Connect? UCSF Connect is the official online social networking platform for UCSF alumni, students, residents, fellows, postdocs, faculty and staff.
Launched last month and co-sponsored by all the UCSF alumni associations, the Office of Alumni Relations, and the Office of Career and Professional Development (OCPD), UCSF Connect allows you to connect with classmates and colleagues, expand your network, and learn about UCSF events and opportunities.
Here are five reasons to join UCSF Connect:
1. It will help you succeed in your career
UCSF Connect can help you in all stages of your career development—from exploring career options to organizing your job, postdoc, residency, or fellowship search, to establishing yourself professionally in your new career.
UCSF Connect can help you do all of that through the opportunity to network with members of the UCSF community who are willing to provide you with the support, guidance, and knowledge to help you move forward in your career.
The UCSF Connect community is opt-in, which means that individuals using UCSF Connect have affirmatively volunteered to make themselves available to others in the network.
When they sign up, they will be asked how they are willing to help other members of the UCSF community, including whether they are willing to:
A) Introduce others to my connections
B) Answer questions about my field
C) Be a mentor, and:
i) Offer advice
ii) Review resume/CV
iii) Participate in an informational interview
These options are searchable in the UCSF Connect directory, and give students and other users “permission” to reach out or connect with one another.
As Yuliya Birman, UCSF graduate student in Michelle Arkin’s lab says: “I feel hesitant about cold-calling alumni to ask them about their careers because I don’t want to bother them. Since UCSF Connect tells me which alumni are willing to help, I feel more comfortable with reaching out to them on there.”
2. It will make you feel, well, …connected
UCSF Connect is exclusively for members of the UCSF community. Because of that, it allows you to make connections in meaningful ways — through joining online conversations, connecting with classmates, and sharing memories by posting photos from university gatherings.
In addition, UCSF Connect fosters a culture of helping and giving back. Not only can you benefit from UCSF alums willing to make themselves available to others, but you can also give back.
Whether you are a seasoned alum or a second year health professional student, UCSF Connect can give you an opportunity to serve as a mentor and offer advice.
3. It takes less than two minutes to sign up
Signing up to UCSF Connect is easy. You can register for this networking platform through using your existing LinkedIn or Facebook account.
The information from your Facebook or LinkedIn account will then be imported to UCSF Connect. If you do not use LinkedIn or Facebook, you can still create an account by using your email address.
4. It will save you time
Not only is it quick to sign up, membership to UCSF Connect will save you time. If you are a student or postdoc at UCSF, it is safe to say that you are busy.
Rather than searching through multiple social media platforms, UCSF Connect is a dedicated networking space where you can grow your professional network, find out about university opportunities and events designed to give you the chance to connect, and stay in touch with classmates and colleagues now and after you leave UCSF.
5. It’s free
UCSF Connect is free! Unlike social media platforms like LinkedIn, you will never have to pay a subscription fee in order to gain full access to UCSF Connect.
So, what are you waiting for? Join this fast growing network platform today!
And, if you need any support on how to navigate UCSF Connect, or approach UCSF Connect members, visit the OCPD website (www.career.ucsf.edu) to schedule an appointment with an OCPD career counselor, review OCPD’s website which provides online resources on networking effectively, or register for OCPD’s workshops that will introduce you to UCSF Connect and help you develop your networking skills.
