Alumni Services
Career Advisory Network
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CAN?
How does CAN help me?
How do I access CAN?
How do I become a career advisor?
Helpful Search Hints
What is CAN?
The Career Advisory Network (CAN) is a University-wide database of BU alumni who have volunteered to speak with students and other alumni about their professional experiences. Today, there are 745 COM alumni career advisors — and they're all waiting to hear from you! Access CAN to learn from alumni, schedule a meeting, seek career advice or build your contacts in a new city.
CAN is an advisory database, meaning that it is for networking purposes only. It is not a job referral network, and alumni career advisors are not expected to provide jobs or internships.
How does CAN help me?
- You can benefit from CAN by:
- Using CAN to contact other alumni about new career opportunities, changing careers, relocating to a new city, learning about the job market in your area and discovering the skills required to succeed in various fields.
- Volunteering to be a career advisor and sharing your professional experiences with students and fellow alumni.
CAN is an advisory database, meaning that it is for networking purposes only. It is not a job referral network, and alumni career advisors are not expected to provide jobs or internships.
How do I access CAN?
CAN is located on the Web at www.bu.edu/alumni/can
For current students: After clicking the “Search for Advisors” button, you will sign in with your username (which is all of the letters before the @ sign of your BU e-mail, example: username@bu.edu, and Kerberos password).
For alumni: Register for the Alumni Link to create a log-in name and password. Each time you access the link, use this info to bring up your personalized page.
How do I become a career advisor?
Sign up to be a career advisor by clicking on the “Volunteering for CAN” button on the CAN Web site. Advising for CAN does not require a huge time commitment, yet you can provide a great value, especially for students entering the job market or alumni looking to make a career change, based on what is convenient for you. Whether you advise one person or many, you perform a great service to students and fellow alumni.
Helpful Search Hints
- When searching CAN, remember these helpful hints:
- Broaden your search. For example, search for all BU alumni advisors in a metro area; then pare down the list with more specific criteria.
- Remember, the database is BU-wide, and alumni advisors from other BU Schools and Colleges often work in communications-related jobs. Therefore, do not limit your search only to COM alumni advisors.
- Reach out to alumni who work at great companies, even if they do not work in fields that interest you. They may be able to help you get a foot in the door and put you in touch with key people in other departments.
CAN is an advisory database, meaning that it is for networking purposes only. It is not a job referral network, and alumni career advisors are not expected to provide jobs or internships.
