Every year, Boston University’s graduating seniors leave behind classes, textbooks and exams to tackle the daunting task of making contacts in the corporate world and hunting for a job. With the help of alumni clubs and the Career Services Office, students can take advantage of networking opportunities to aid their search.

“BU’s network of alum clubs can serve as great networking opportunities,” CSO Assistant Director Deborah Halliday said. “Networking is a matter of connecting with the right people.”

The Career Advisory Network, run by BU’s alumni office, provides students with an opportunity to connect with alumni. Volunteers in the CAN program are former BU graduates who share their job experiences and how they got started in their field.

“BU alums who volunteer with CAN act as resources to provide career information and networking,” Halliday said. “The job search is also very much about building your own network and thinking about who you know.”

In addition to the services provided by the alumni office, each college has networking opportunities available to its students. The School of Management holds career fairs, company information sessions and career panels.

“It is a well-documented fact that networking is the single most important aspect of a successful job search,” SMG Career Center Director Catherine Ahlgren said. “Those students who take the initiative to reach out to our alumni have found it valuable and informative.”

College of Communication Dean John Schulz said COM “brings in top speakers, for big college-wide presentations each term and to many of our classes each week. Often, wise students take a minute afterward to speak to these captains of the communication industries to make first contact.”

Students looking to stay within the Boston area have the advantage of participating in the Career Services Office “interview blitz.” The blitz provides students with the opportunity to come to receive on-the-spot interviews from prospective employers.

“Most school’s end recruiting opportunities when the student graduates,” Halliday said. “We invite companies to come on campus and require that they have current jobs that they want to fill. Students come with their rèsumès for on-the-spot interviews.”

BU’s educational programs and networking opportunities have garnered real world success for students entering the job market. Halliday said 28 percent of the students who participated in last year’s interview blitz were offered jobs, with some receiving up to three offers. According to Schulz, COM graduates are 12 to 16 percent more successful at finding jobs within the first six months after graduation than the national average.

“We hear time and time again from employers how focused BU students are,” Halliday said. “BU students are the kind of employees companies want.”

For students who do not plan to remain in the Boston area, the CSO provides an online recruiting system. The CareerLink connects students with a nationwide database of prospective employers from around the country. The CareerLink, and its hardcopy counterpart in the CSO, is available to students for up to one year after graduation.

Halliday said she reminds students who are beginning the job search not to panic, but be proactive about making contacts and seeking out assistance from the CSO.

“You’re not stepping off a cliff,” she said. “Life is long, and you can do many things.”