Sororities and Networking

Saturday morning I was surprised to find an e-mail in my inbox from a sorority alumna whom I have never personally met. The subject of the correspondence was an opening for summer interns at an upscale fashion designer in Manhattan. The message should not have been so unexpected, however, because I had received a similar e-mail two months prior from a different alumna who was looking for spring interns at a Boston based public relations firm. 

I have never considered myself the quintessential rah rah sorority girl and was iffy about whether or not I belonged. These e-mails reminded me of the importance of my sisters for my future endeavors. I was excited to get the messages at a time when I was considering internship options. I did not know about either company, which made the messages even more exciting. I was able to add two new companies to my list of potential employers.

While sororities are stereotypically associated with mixers and date parties, they are in actuality more closely associated with networking. The lineage of members spans across diverse industries and occupations. Members are eager to reach out to one another and offer internships because they are linked by a commonality. Whether or not i am interested in my sisters' companies, their network of connections can be of use. Because the membership of sororities in general are nationwide and it is impossible to know everyone, displaying the greek letters on a resume can help your application be more strongly considered if employees are also members.

If you are in a sorority, message your network of sisters before applying for your next internship!

--Stephanie