Ask an Alum

Here's how you can get started and create your profile in five easy steps:

Step one - Sign in to the Vygo platform:

• Select UK/Europe and choose 'Register Now' to create your Vygo account
• Select Imperial College London as your organisation
• Verify your email address before continuing

Step two - Create your profile:

• Select 'Alum' as your user type
• Enter your CID/Alumni Membership Number - this can be found at the top of your emails from the Alumni Engagement Office
• Select your degree or the closest degree name to the one you studied
• Select the industry or industries you have experience in

Step three - Join Ask an Alum:

• Select 'Ask an Alum' and 'Join programme'
• You'll be prompted to answer some questions about your previous degrees, support you can offer, sector experience, and where you work
• You will then see one of the following pop-ups
  (a) one noting you have been pre-approved for the programme, click 'Become an Alum' to be taken to your profile.
  (b) one telling you you've been matched with an Alum, ignore this and click "I don't want to be connect with 'X' then "I'll connect later". Click 'You are a Member' and 'Become an Alum' from the drop down options to progress to Step 4. 

Step four - Complete your profile:

• Upload a professional photo
• About Me: Write a few sentences about your education and career history and the areas in which you could provide career related insights e.g, networking tips, finding jobs, developing the right skill set (800 character limit)
• Availability: You can indicate your availability for when you are most likely to respond to questions
• Language: Select the languages you are able to answer questions in
• Click update profile
• Answer some final consent questions

Step five - Add a tagline:

• Click on your profile picture in the top right-hand corner, select 'Profile' then 'Edit'
• Update your tagline to list your current job title and organisation e.g. Solutions Architect: Amazon Web Services (60 character limit)

Students will be recommended to connect with you based on the join questions and will reach out to you via the chat function if they want to ask a question. You will be notified via email and/or push notification if you receive a message.

The Ask an Alum platform is not just about transferring knowledge, but also about fostering a culture of support and collaboration. Your expertise is fundamental for those navigating the early stages of their career.

This is shown by the feedback we receive: 

To ensure a positive and enriching experience, we ask that all participants adhere to the following guiding principles:

Content guidelines

The primary purpose of the Ask an Alum programme is professional and career developmental. Participants are asked to engage in discussions related to career advice, skill development, preparation for work and industry/role/organisational insights.

Students are advised this is not a job solicitation platform and should refrain from directly seeking work experience, internships or job opportunities. 

Privacy and confidentiality

Participants may share personal and professional experiences. All parties should treat such disclosures will full respect and confidentiality. If you are concerned about any disclosed information shared, please contact the Ask an Alum team at askalum@imperial.ac.uk.

Timely and respectful communication

Maintain positive and constructive communication, using inclusive language that values diversity and different perspectives. Where possible, please aim to respond to any student questions within 5 working days. 

Continual improvement

We encourage all participants to share thoughts and feedback on how we can enhance the user experience and value of the programme. Please send any comments directly to the Ask an Alum team at askalum@imperial.ac.uk. 

Can I contact a student on the platform that has not directly asked me a question?

You will be able to view all students on the platform once you have activated your profile however please do not reach out to students unless they have contacted you with a question. 

Can I change my status if I'm not available to answer questions for a given period?

Yes, you can change your status by clicking your profile picture in the top right corner of your Dashboard and selecting 'status' from the drop-down menu. Underneath is a slider to select the status you require. The options are:

Available - profile is visible to all users
Busy - profile is only visible to existing connections
Away - profile is not visible to anyone

For more information on the different status settings, please visit the Vygo Help Page.

How do I manage my notifications?

Your notifications will automatically be turned on when you join the platform. We recommend leaving email notifications on so that you are informed when you receive a new message however if you'd prefer to switch these off, please follow the Vygo Notification Settings information.  

What should I do if a student discloses something inappropriate or personal?

If necessary, messages can be reported via the 'Report a message' function within the chat window. This will notify Vygo's technical support team and the Ask an Alum programme managers will be informed within one business day to follow-up with you. 

How do I delete my Vygo account?

You can permanently close your Vygo account by navigating to 'Account' and selecting 'Close Account' a the bottom of the screen then following the prompts. Please note; once you delete your account it cannot be reactivated. If you would simply prefer to 'deactivate' your account for a period of time, please set your profile status to 'busy' and it will no longer be visible to any users.