Alisha Snow (Questrom’98, COM’98), executive vice president at the market research and consulting firm Smarty Pants, wanted to build her network and mentor fellow BU grads. Dima Hurlbut (GRS’17,’20) wanted to make a move from graduate school to the business world.
They both joined BU Connects. And it worked: they connected.
Dima reached out to Alisha to request an informational interview. Alisha accepted, and she says the BU bond helped get the ball rolling when they spoke.
“Knowing that Dima went to BU and valued his experience at Boston University gave us a starting point, so there was an easy way to begin a conversation,” she says.
“But also,” says Dima, “the BU Connects platform itself gave us a commonality. In Alisha’s case, she was on there because she was willing to talk to people, and I was on there seeking some advice. So that took away some of the fear of reaching out.”
As it happened, Alisha’s company was looking to fill a few open positions—and Alisha quickly realized Dima could be a great fit for one of them. Next thing you know, Dima’s job search was over. He’s now a research associate at Smarty Pants.
It was the first time the company found its next hire on BU Connects, but it won’t be the last.
Says Alisha: “It is top of mind as a great network and resource for finding very highly qualified candidates.”
And, says Dima, “as even more BU alumni get onto the platform, it will become an even more incredible resource for current students and alumni.”
Who knows? You could be the next Terrier to connect.