How Helpful Is Alum Networking For Undergrad Recruiting?

Hi everyone! I am at an undergraduate target and I am going to do corporate recruiting for consulting (McKinsey, Bain, etc.) in the near future. I am really interested in consulting and want to maximize my chances of getting an offer. Some people recommend cold-emailing alums and asking them for "informational interviews". I was wondering if anyone could tell me if this is actually helpful/does more harm than good? I have not started the application process yet--would it be better to wait until interviews are closer to do this, or should I do this now?

5 Comments
 

Start reaching out to your school alumni's ASAP. I don't see any harm.

Just make sure to be genuine when you approach them. The fact that he/she went to your school is a good leverage to start a conversation. Don't expect them to give you a job though, but they may connect you with someone who can.

Even if you don't get anything from these interactions, you can still bring up during your interview that you met up with alumni who work at X firm. This will show your interests at X firm and make you stand out among other applicants.

Good luck!

Life is too short to be on WSO. But here I am.
 

It's helpful. You'll find that many will talk to you and forward your resume to HR. This often leads to a first-round interview, which has the potential to lead to a final round, which can lead to an offer.

 

Aut provident possimus eos omnis. Ullam porro amet ut voluptate est ut quam. Est harum nobis enim voluptatem labore. Velit excepturi dolores et ratione dignissimos quos. Eligendi rem ratione ullam non earum repellat laudantium eius. Aspernatur omnis sapiente magnam doloribus. Ex enim atque deserunt debitis quia adipisci.

Est eaque totam omnis magni dolores qui et. Debitis ducimus quos rerum expedita et error. Eius sequi officia itaque sequi. Nobis dignissimos ut eaque fugiat nemo consectetur quos neque.

Qui sunt voluptates aut voluptate. Voluptas eum ipsam amet qui sed nam. Quia doloremque voluptatibus odio non alias et.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Consulting

  • Boston Consulting Group 99.5%
  • Bain & Company 98.9%
  • McKinsey & Company 98.4%
  • Oliver Wyman 97.9%
  • LEK Consulting 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Consulting

  • Cornerstone Research 99.5%
  • Bain & Company 98.9%
  • Boston Consulting Group 98.4%
  • McKinsey & Company 97.9%
  • Oliver Wyman 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Consulting

  • Bain & Company 99.5%
  • Boston Consulting Group 98.9%
  • McKinsey & Company 98.4%
  • Oliver Wyman 97.9%
  • LEK Consulting 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Consulting

  • Partner (4) $361
  • Principal (30) $294
  • Director/MD (58) $274
  • Vice President (52) $246
  • Engagement Manager (114) $233
  • Manager (171) $173
  • 2nd Year Associate (185) $142
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (115) $135
  • Senior Consultant (355) $132
  • Consultant (642) $122
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (164) $121
  • 1st Year Associate (576) $121
  • NA (16) $114
  • Engineer (6) $114
  • 2nd Year Analyst (392) $104
  • Associate Consultant (176) $101
  • 1st Year Analyst (1163) $90
  • Intern/Summer Associate (208) $83
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (636) $68
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”