Host of 'The College Tour' returns to Eastern with networking advice

Emmy-nominated producer and television personality Alex Boylan visited Eastern on Nov. 5 to inspire college students to land their dream job. During his presentation titled “How to Land Your Dream Job Before Graduation,” Boylan provided industry insights and career tips to prepare students for life after graduation. 

The producer pulled insights from his own career and show, “The College Tour,” which featured Eastern as one of its season 13 episodes in 2025. The show explores universities across the United States, interviewing students, professors, and community members to help prospective college students make more informed decisions about their higher education journey. 

During his time on the show, he gained extensive experience on what works and what doesn’t for college students looking to get a leg up in their education and careers. 

Lesson 1: Tell a story 

Boylan’s first lesson to students was to make themselves as interesting as possible to prospective employers.  

He explained that during an interview, employers aren’t going to care about what classes you took. Rather, Boylan encouraged students to try new things to stand out. He gave an example from his own life, telling students that employers were more interested in his time in Brazil and his internship in Germany. 

“Every job that I went for, I got the job offer,” he said. “It was all because I had a story.”   

Lesson 2: Chase your passion His next piece of advice was to discover what you’re passionate about and pursue it relentlessly. Boylan stressed that no one should be able to dictate what you want to do with your life, and that you shouldn't be afraid to change career paths.   

He originally didn’t go into the entertainment industry, beginning his career as a market analyst in Boston. Boylan didn’t find his love for television production until he became a contestant on the reality television show “The Amazing Race,” where he quickly became fascinated with the show’s production.   

“I got exposed to the world of media,” he said. “I knew from day two of competing in ‘The Amazing Race,’ I'm going to be a travel producer.”  

Lesson 3: Build rapport early 

After “The Amazing Race,” he said his next opportunity came from a pitch to be featured in a show by Jerry Smith Production Company, which he turned into a job opportunity. 

“I go, ‘Jerry, what do I need to do to get a job here? I will literally sweep the floors,’" Boylan explained. “I remember him saying I wouldn’t have gotten the job if I didn't say that.”   

He got a job selling stock footage, which he described as “getting my foot in the door,” and slowly moved his way up the ladder. Boylan encouraged students to find networking opportunities in industries that can be hard to break into.  

Getting your foot in the door today is a bit different, Boylan admitted. He urged every student to create a LinkedIn account to start building rapport with industry professionals.   

He recommended that students find companies in the field they want to pursue and message professionals to ask for advice, explaining that professionals are more likely to ignore you after graduation, but everyone wants to help an up-and-coming college student.  

“Tell them that you're a student, and you need 15 minutes of their time,” he said. “You're keeping it short to ask them some great questions.”  

Boylan then said that students shouldn’t just stop building relationships there. He said students should set Google alerts for the professional's name and company, reach out to congratulate them if warranted, or start a personal conversation to keep building rapport.   

Taking initiative with professionals could be the deciding factor in getting an entry-level position in a challenging job market. The time to start is now. Boylan emphasized that students have the time and ability to build the connections they need before they graduate and actually have to start looking for a job.