What would your impression be?
This question is geared toward those who work at boutique shops (think < 20 people total headcount). What would your impression be if someone interested in working for the company showed up, unannounced, to introduce themselves and open a dialogue about hiring/internship opportunities? I would be willing to offer my services as an intern even though I currently have 3 YOE trading in a different product. The reason I'm willing to do this is because I am adamant about switching products and I'm unable to find a role that would allow me to lateral in the current economic environment. Also, please keep in mind that I am a top trader at my shop (top 5% out of 50 traders) and I have money to live off of for at least 2 years. Additionally, I don't want to stay in my current role as I'd rather be progressing towards something I want to make my career in rather than where I currently am. Finally, I understand there will be objections that I'm prepared to overcome but I'm genuinely interested if this comes across as young and hungry or desperate.
Please keep the comments about "if you're a good trader why would you leave" to a minimum as I have my mind made up that I would like to leave.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, showing up unannounced at a boutique firm to introduce yourself and discuss hiring or internship opportunities can be a bold move, but it's not without precedent. The effectiveness of this approach can vary significantly based on the culture of the firm and how you handle the interaction. Here are some insights and considerations:
Be Prepared: As highlighted in a WSO thread, someone who tried a similar approach emphasized the importance of being prepared, especially for technical questions or discussions about your interests and investments. This preparation shows you're serious and have done your homework.
Understand the Firm's Culture: Smaller firms might appreciate the initiative and directness, seeing it as a sign of determination and passion. However, it's crucial to gauge the firm's openness to such approaches. Some might view it as intrusive or unprofessional.
Highlight Your Experience and Willingness to Learn: Your experience as a top trader and your willingness to start as an intern to switch products is a compelling story. It demonstrates humility, eagerness to learn, and a clear goal. Make sure to convey this effectively, focusing on how your skills can benefit the firm and your desire for career progression in a new direction.
Address Potential Objections Upfront: Being prepared to discuss any objections they might have shows foresight and preparation. It's good that you're ready to overcome these objections, but ensure your approach is more about understanding their concerns and less about dismissing them.
Perception: Whether this comes across as young and hungry or desperate largely depends on your approach and the firm's culture. Presenting yourself confidently, showing respect for the person's time, and clearly articulating your value proposition and desire for a career change can help skew perception towards the positive.
Networking Alternative: While direct, unannounced visits can work, also consider leveraging networking to get introductions. This can sometimes be a more welcomed approach, especially in professional settings where cold visits might be less common.
In summary, while there's a risk of being perceived as desperate, careful preparation, a respectful approach, and a clear articulation of your goals and value can help present you as ambitious and driven. It's a strategy that requires careful consideration and may benefit from also exploring more conventional networking avenues.
Sources: How to Obtain a Sophomore Summer Boutique IB Internship, Any tips for cold walk ins, Networking 101 -- Hedge Fund Edition, How to Obtain a Sophomore Summer Boutique IB Internship, Stand Out as a Non-Target: Recruiting (Part 1 of 4)
Don't show up in person, you probably won't get through the door and even if you did the reaction would range from "this person is a potential security threat" to mildly annoyed.
However, sending a cold message on LinkedIn or whatever should be fine.
I think that you will have more success cold-emailing. There once was a guy who showed up unannounced to our office with his resume in hand. Nothing bad happened, but we politely told him that we weren't hiring and he left. But nobody here said: "Wow, I admire his initiative. Let's hear what he has to say."
Don't show up in person, but attach an idea write-up or some piece of relevant work. That's what definitely separates you from the pack and shows you've put in time and effort into it. If it also shows you might be good at the job, all the better.
Well people will probably remember you longer, and you would be the topic for lunch that day, but that's pretty much it.
Heard of this working in the 80s and 90s, but largely wouldn't work today.
If you want to get into their email inbox, usually emails are like first.last or flast or something similar.
Do not show up unannounced that would make me question your past success. If you struggle this much with networking and building connections start first with headhunters to see what the path in is.
Next, ask yourself what knowledge does an intern gain that truly helps. So does starting over at a intern level truly help.
Would make me think the person is a psychopath
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