The power of networking never ceases to amaze me – especially out here in the Valley. I can’t speak for other cities/other regions of the world, but the fact that I was able to get my roommate an internship this summer by drunkenly chatting up someone at a hole in the wall bar says…something. The networking out here is shameless – young, old, entry level, C-level – it doesn’t matter. It genuinely seems like people want to see each other succeed, and as a kid who came from a small town in Florida, I can say the environment is wholly unique.
Taking a moment to think about the job market today, for example, it is almost impossible to get the job you want in the field you want with a resume and cover letter alone. As many of you, and I myself know from experience, you have to be a networking ninja to break in. You need a connection, a friend of a friend, or a random person you met at a bar to open that door. Story time:
My Dad was visiting me in SF and we were out to Zushi Puzzle (phenomenal sushi place in the Marina for those of you living in the Bay Area – omakase is the way to go). We were seated next to this couple that was exhibiting a similar level of intoxication to us, so we naturally started chatting them up. Turns out the husband is a Notre Dame grad like my Dad, and the stories of the good ole days start flying back and forth. He mentions that he works as an attorney for a large company out here (can’t get too specific), and that he went to the University of San Francisco for Law School. This triggers something in my tipsy brain, and I remember that my roommate (who currently attends USF law) is trying to figure out what he’s doing for the summer. I ask if they offer internships, and lo and behold they do. I introduced them via email, and my roommate ended up working for this guy the entire summer – paid internship and everything. Hooray drunk networking!
Out here, your network naturally grows every day, and I’m currently trying to replicate what I did for my roommate for my girlfriend. In 15 minutes, I’ve had 5 leads. Fingers crossed!
Granted, the situation isn’t so cut and dry for finance gigs, but regardless I’m sure at least a few of you have had some crazy networking experiences. That being said, I turn it back to you guys: what is your craziest story of networking gone right?
Slept with a girl I met at a club in my first year of university -- ran into her at a bar a couple years later and now she’s HR at a particular firm I was applying to for an internship -- she took my resume to the MD and I got an interview.
most gangsta thing i eva hurd
According to FINS, one of the negative affect of not getting a job or internship is if you slept with someone who is the HR of the firm.
If it's a negative, then obviously something is not being done right.
Lol, no offer? She's not impressed.
lol, I guess not..
Not crazy but pretty funny, walked into my professor's office sophomore year (who I'd never spoken to personally before, but raised my hand a few times in class) said "Hey so what's the best way to get an internship for this summer?" Told me to hold on, called up his Financial Advisor on the spot tells him that I'm a kid interested in an internship, gives him my number, hangs up and tells me "My advisor at (insert bulge bracket wealth management here) is going to call you in 1 minute. This is an interview". I almost shat my pants, but nabbed it.
And sometimes this is why I debate being a bartender next summer, rather than going for an internship lol
Agreed. In Meg Jay's book "The defining decade", she emphasizes the importance of weak ties.
http://www.businessinsider.com/dr-meg-jay-the-defining-decade-2012-7?op…
"Jay cites a famous social networking study conducted by Stanford professor Mark Granovetter, who found that "weak-tie acquaintances were often more important than strong-tie friends because weak ties give us access to social networks where we don’t otherwise belong." If you are spending most of your time with the same five friends, you are likely missing out on the new ideas and opportunities that stem from these weaker connections"
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