Hoo You Know is a weekly career newsletter for UVA students who want to connect with successful UVA alumni and network smarter, not harder.
Each week, we’ll send you one short email (we like to be brief) of an alumni interview, career guide, or networking theory.
We interview alumni across finance, law, tech, politics, media, sports, AI, and more. You name it, we’ve done it. This includes notable alumni like CNN’s CFO, Former President Jim Ryan, and UVA Head Coaches (Men’s Basketball & Swim).We ask everyone the same 5 questions (interns and C-suit execs alike):
How’d you get your start?
What’s a challenge you faced early on?
What’s a misconception about your industry/role?
What’s a piece of advice you have for students?
What’s a question you love to be asked?
You’ll gain decades of industry knowledge and career success, and maybe find your dream job you never knew existed.
We want you to go out an meet alumni yourself. So we put together expert guides on what you need to do it. This includes:
Tools to find alumni faster
Cold email templates
Coffee chat essentials
How to answer the dreaded “Tell Me About Yourself?”
And arguably most important, how to write a Thank You Note
Believe it or not, networking is one of the most misunderstood business concepts out there. It’s the main reason this newsletter started.These types of emails are here to help you rethink networking. At the end of the day, its just a corporate word for talking to people. We discuss:
Why you add value to someone more senior than you
The faults of being too certain
How to balance motive, transparency, and respect
Why you should follow up (more times than you think)
Hoo You Know is ultimately a resource for you, so use it. All past interviews, guides, and theories are on hooyouknow.com and subscribing will ensure the best stories and advice is sitting waiting for you in your inbox, once a week.
Thanks for reading, and we hope you subscribe.
Best,
Ryan Levy
Founder, Hoo You Know
Every week, hundreds of UVA students read Hoo You Know to learn from alumni who’ve already walked the path they’re on. If you’ve got a story, lessons, or insights that could help the next generation of Hoos, let’s get it in front of them.
Reach out at [email protected]m. It’s low-lift on your end — a 30-minute chat over Zoom or phone that’s turned into email format. Your story could make a real difference for students figuring out their next steps.