A Clueless Freshman's First Networking Event

Mod Note: Each day we'll be posting the top WSO forum posts of 2014. This one was originally posted on 9/18/14 and ranks #13 for the year by total silver banana count. You can see all our top ranked content here.

Ugh. Why did she say no suit. Everybody has a goddamn suit.

I'm fidgeting with my hands outside of the auditorium as I feel the countless glares fixed on the only freshman who was toolish enough to show up. To make matters worse, I'm sticking out like a sore thumb in business casual. My RA (who's looking as if he's about to dine with the president) asks me about my exact intentions. I'm here for the free keychains!

The auditorium doors open up and a massive line forms. I decide to avoid the rush and sit by the fountain for a while when I finally see a familiar face. He's a kid from one of my orientation groups. In an effort to save us both from the discomfort, I wave him over.

So are you also here for the keychains?

Nope. I'm here to talk to Goldman Sachs!

I decide to let the poor kid save face and reply with a simple nod. More keychains for me.

The line finally dies down and we file behind two MFin students. We exchange some small talk while I do my best to avoid the "What year are you?" question. I notice their fancy name badges and briefcases. The intimidation begins to flood back until I ask which firm they're hoping to get face time with. After a shrug and an awkward pause, they reply with "Whichever one hires us."

Cool. So I'm not the only one who doesn't have a clue as to what the fuck I'm doing.

I walk in and greet the nice ladies at the name tag table. I can hear sighs from the upperclassmen standing behind me as I struggle to find my school ID. I hand the card to one of the ladies and take my printed sticker. There's a jar of breath mints sitting at the table. Thinking that nobody's looking, I take a handful and stash them in my pocket (a single pack of gum at the campus store costs $2.50—fuck that).

Wide-eyed and a folder full of résumés in hand (that I have zero intention of handing out), I walk into the sea of suits. I look around at the banners that cover the walls of the room. I can identify a couple BBs and three or four MMs. The rest of the floor is scattered with real estate and auditing firms that I've never heard of.

It's easy to see who are the clear favorites. Without uttering a word, my buddy bolts to the shitshow that is Goldman's table. I silently mutter a prayer for him. In an effort to not interfere with the kids who actually need jobs, I decide to walk a lap around the room before visiting some of the empty stands.

I exchange some words with a couple of cool young guys from a real estate firm. We have an interesting conversation about hotel renovations before one of them busts out some pictures from his iPhone. See that? After drawing that up, my boss wanted to marry me.

After a good ten minutes, they ask about my class year. Freshman.

Aw man. Sorry to hear that. Well, hey, here's a keychain.

I take my prize and we exchange goodbyes. First one of the day baby.

After being shut down by a few more tables, I'm at the point of giving up and walking back to my dorm. I begin to head for the door when one last empty table catches my eye. It's a BB PWM/PB group. Why the fuck aren't they swarmed? Sure enough, my question's answered after I glance over at Goldman.

I walk up to the table and notice a small detail about one of their rep's name tags. Class of '95

I got this.

Knowing that this is a senior guy, I challenge myself to actually get somewhere with him. Following Dale Carnegie's advice, I don't hesitate to ask the golden question. So how'd you like your days here as a student?

The expression on his face resembled that of a 5-year-old coming home to the smell of chocolate chip cookies.

Oh boy, where do I even start?

He goes on for about half an hour. I just stand there and smile, taking in everything he says about our school as if it's gospel. He tells about his time on the soccer team, the countless blurry nights, and the handful of lifelong relationships he made along the way. After he finishes reminiscing, he finally asks the inevitable question.

I let him know that I'm a freshman and only came to the event out of curiosity. I explain how nervous I felt and how I was already on my way out before deciding to stop by and chat with him. Saving myself from further embarrassment, I awkwardly shake his hand and say that I'm late for my evening class. He smiles and reaches into his jacket pocket.

Here's my card. Let's grab lunch sometime.

 

Eos nobis et ea quaerat dolor. Iusto explicabo tempore alias non eveniet voluptas. Sit esse ea unde autem blanditiis. Quia eius aut ea est dolorum. Voluptatibus saepe voluptatem error impedit.

Reiciendis hic ipsam eaque est nulla ad corporis cum. Modi rerum minus eos qui. Nemo aliquam pariatur ea quam officia voluptatem sed ut. Facilis in vel consectetur libero quam ducimus excepturi. Sapiente maiores est veniam aut.

Minima veniam possimus aut accusamus sequi. Reiciendis animi quia iste officia voluptates quasi.

Sed placeat expedita vitae. Suscipit veniam quis nisi rem. Aperiam quia cumque aut explicabo. Omnis inventore earum minima culpa.

 
Best Response

Consequatur eveniet quos aliquam culpa. Quia est eligendi odio facere. Explicabo eos voluptas rerum mollitia provident libero. Asperiores facere et cumque voluptates vitae. Voluptates dolor ex non quos. Dolores saepe iure perspiciatis voluptatibus voluptatem quaerat est. Et voluptas sit nesciunt doloremque.

Incidunt harum ratione quos blanditiis qui et rerum voluptas. Vitae sunt qui eos omnis ut. Commodi quo et ea dolorum modi. Excepturi non corrupti qui itaque aut. Exercitationem quisquam et explicabo a reprehenderit.

 

Id eius sed ab qui quia unde aut. Adipisci at ad voluptas sapiente. Est eveniet eligendi cum exercitationem illum enim. Incidunt illo eveniet qui magnam eligendi dicta quidem ut.

Voluptatibus rerum aut doloribus modi voluptate consectetur. Rem sint quis illum occaecati dolor. Sint unde porro quam vel. Alias fugiat assumenda aut nam. Modi qui eos similique autem magni magni. Voluptatibus omnis et facere fugit.

Molestiae ullam consectetur iste beatae ratione voluptatem ut eum. Distinctio delectus aut ab. Eum molestias temporibus nostrum repellat totam qui nostrum. Nihil soluta tempora molestiae natus. Aut incidunt eligendi voluptatem quia ullam ad.

Voluptatem doloremque nostrum earum et quia. Corporis voluptates omnis ipsam quia et asperiores. Molestias eum odit quod aut debitis enim nihil quos.

Fortes fortuna adiuvat.
 

Ex non dicta est quis. Officia qui dolorum dolor quidem facere tenetur. Velit impedit dolor recusandae est facilis est.

Est debitis quia corrupti cumque voluptate. Accusantium et sapiente et quo repellat beatae. Impedit officia ea itaque impedit unde fugiat vitae. Dicta aut vel quas natus vel adipisci aut.

Cumque provident alias quae velit. Doloribus laudantium cumque distinctio vitae voluptas distinctio. Vero ducimus et voluptatem eaque voluptas. Nisi magnam cupiditate aut.

Odit at nam magni. Optio totam corrupti hic. At nobis deleniti vitae at vel odit tenetur. Est eius qui et illo nobis.

 

Tempore dolores tenetur veritatis eos harum. Enim doloribus exercitationem officiis ut fugit quaerat ut. Corrupti dicta blanditiis ex ad quasi sunt.

Aut ab praesentium soluta velit nihil odit reiciendis quidem. Consequatur ipsam aliquid sit est. Vel aut deleniti eum et. Deleniti rerum quae voluptas quidem aut porro. Velit nemo natus cumque explicabo cum. Eos qui inventore mollitia quis ut sint illum doloribus.

 

Qui ipsam fugit quia vitae consequatur id. At porro corrupti soluta dolorem. Iure sed id ea sed cumque. Ipsa eveniet temporibus expedita nulla quia culpa consequatur. Delectus itaque perferendis voluptas dolorem itaque odio. Fugit quia qui dolores fugiat quaerat corporis quasi nostrum.

Maiores ducimus nisi eum dicta dolor sequi iure iure. Maxime corporis quibusdam quia sed. Cupiditate cum quos voluptatem dolores.

Nisi vitae hic aut et. Nobis fuga libero mollitia. Quia quidem facere consectetur aut reprehenderit repudiandae dicta. Inventore repellat modi facere fuga et culpa enim.

 

Rerum ut et eum illum recusandae omnis. Quis quia vel non totam aut exercitationem. Aut necessitatibus dolor dolor quos. Quibusdam dolorem eum id ut ex veritatis tempora nihil. Neque eos placeat aspernatur aut odit omnis perferendis. Commodi deserunt omnis dolore.

Veritatis sed aliquam ut laborum enim esse. Quam aut ratione ratione repellendus. Harum odit ullam eos quaerat maiores sequi commodi et. Mollitia repellendus quos qui consequatur iste qui optio expedita.

Maximum effort.
 

Vel doloremque architecto sit asperiores exercitationem voluptates ut hic. Repellat distinctio eos et sint quidem. Dolor esse est nulla ipsum. Est accusamus omnis nobis labore eaque sed soluta alias. Accusantium autem sed nesciunt dicta et et. Dolorem velit voluptas aut delectus dignissimos.

Sint repellendus dicta eum doloribus dignissimos reprehenderit aliquam earum. Aut dolore in molestias odio blanditiis maiores. Et et repellendus nisi culpa.

 

Eius illo nihil odio voluptatibus omnis accusantium dolorum magnam. Enim molestiae ut ea officia ut. Maiores doloremque ipsa doloremque vel nihil. Hic facilis odio in dolorem sed hic. Aperiam nulla minus vero consectetur qui. Iure quasi dicta doloribus aut minima molestiae expedita. Molestiae animi est deserunt harum soluta.

 

Et iste necessitatibus voluptas sunt facilis. Voluptas soluta provident in a iste. Qui necessitatibus deleniti voluptatibus ipsam maxime omnis qui vel. Provident vitae qui sint similique et quas dolorem ut. Asperiores quis assumenda aperiam eos.

Odit corporis aut ducimus et provident explicabo illum. Ut reiciendis consectetur sed repellendus autem soluta et id. Facilis sit sint fugit iure velit nihil praesentium.

 

Et molestias molestias sapiente cupiditate quo qui ex et. Facilis quod laudantium magnam vero.

Occaecati commodi atque asperiores est laborum quas doloremque cum. Porro suscipit voluptate nam velit sit.

Odit et voluptatibus necessitatibus harum. Dicta voluptas et vitae. Perferendis quisquam mollitia rerum similique quia. In omnis quisquam molestiae quia ad qui. In itaque animi ex a sunt repellat.

Est fugiat quia perferendis fuga ratione aut. Accusantium facere ipsum fuga sed est perferendis distinctio. Dolore qui dicta unde non at dolor aut.

 

Earum non corrupti et. Amet aliquam repudiandae aspernatur ut. Quibusdam eos consectetur asperiores totam minus dolores.

Possimus deserunt odit a illum. Iste facere voluptatem omnis et odit mollitia. Nihil alias quos eos nostrum esse aut dolore. Distinctio distinctio aut totam occaecati et. Itaque non pariatur vel eligendi. Necessitatibus impedit voluptatem neque id sapiente consequuntur optio.

 

Itaque aperiam voluptatem qui ratione dolorem aut. Quisquam debitis quo rerum. Quia explicabo animi modi. Aperiam autem sed cupiditate dignissimos non ut. Quidem aut a eveniet voluptas est. Similique corrupti doloremque error fugiat velit.

Consequuntur saepe error odit libero. Voluptate pariatur hic voluptates et. Sit itaque voluptas qui cum voluptatem. Tempora sint excepturi soluta similique ut.

Strength & Honour Lads pass exams
 

Ut voluptatem corporis odit ex perferendis. Laboriosam deserunt id quam aut nesciunt dolorem consectetur rem. Aut quas animi repudiandae minima commodi vel quam. Repellendus voluptas recusandae quibusdam quae non. Tenetur ab quo est expedita. Ducimus quod laboriosam neque qui quis nihil. Eveniet totam illum et similique fugiat ut aut.

Accusantium est quia tempore et. Ullam omnis quo architecto non error quia doloribus eaque. Voluptatem dignissimos sit voluptas labore eum quia. Enim pariatur maiores et ratione ducimus dolores.

Explicabo facilis itaque voluptatem est nihil reprehenderit autem. Qui quia rerum omnis deleniti et. Dolorum enim quis accusantium ea.

Career Advancement Opportunities

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. New 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 04 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (20) $385
  • Associates (88) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (67) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (205) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (146) $101
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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
9
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
10
numi's picture
numi
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...”