Networking - Seniority Level to Target
I will be graduating this year and am very intent on pursuing a career in asset management. Given the lack of structured entry-level programs in the industry, I realize the importance of aggressive networking here. Fortunately I have found some great people to reach out to through linkedin and my university alumni database, and have some solid internship experience in the field. In some cases I have found multiple people within the same firm ranging from analyst through CIO. I am at a fairly small non-target and so I feel the urge to help could be strong. My question is, in this sort of instance, who should I be reaching out to for informal interviews? My thinking is that more senior people (CIO, Director of Research, senior PMs) will have more pull if they end up liking me, but at the same time I am afraid that they would be less likely to respond/have time for this sort of thing than analysts. In the past I did manage to get an internship through a junior analyst, but with a small sub-manager. This is actually my first post, but I have been reading the site for a few years now. I am interested to hear what you all think. Thanks.





I'm practically in the same
I'm practically in the same boat as you. Leverage anyone and everyone you can. If you have e-mails to senior staff, well there you go. Assuming they read the e-mail, you've only got one shot otherwise you become a pest and on to the next.
If you're set to graduate in Spring '13 as myself, you should ALWAYS be in contact with people from HR. It is their job to bring people on-board. Simply a call/linkedin msg/email every now and then will get the opinion of you in the air. Hint: if they are willing to talk to you when you call, you have hope.
Currently, I've already set myself up for a few information & fit interviews at some HFs for potential positions once I've graduated. Establish a good relationship with a contact from where you can (and are interested), be persistent w/ inquiries, and eventually bluntly ask if they would consider PERSONALLY asking any of their internal teams if they would bring you in.
Hope this helps.
Here to learn and hopefully pass on some knowledge as well. SB if I helped.