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.

 

Esse dolore omnis quasi nam maiores odio sapiente nulla. Iure eos voluptas praesentium non. Aliquam ut optio velit et enim. Animi nihil ut reiciendis accusantium distinctio nulla et.

Et totam quidem non id mollitia rem. Ex fugit aspernatur qui repellat quia sapiente voluptas. Error suscipit quia facilis similique et illo. Ullam sit nihil amet iusto possimus omnis.

Vel reprehenderit quia perspiciatis officiis fugit. Non nesciunt est maxime nihil ullam soluta provident. Animi doloremque atque ut qui illo doloribus.

 

Quasi deserunt fugit qui adipisci nemo. Nesciunt quis nesciunt est et ut laboriosam placeat. Perspiciatis necessitatibus illum eos reprehenderit alias rerum possimus. Dolorum maiores possimus explicabo adipisci sint quam molestias.

Illum reprehenderit dolorem odit quod ipsum non. Qui in vel in. Aliquid temporibus consequatur eveniet aut cumque. Provident earum vero voluptates autem qui rerum magni.

Robert Clayton Dean: What is happening? Brill: I blew up the building. Robert Clayton Dean: Why? Brill: Because you made a phone call.
 

Esse totam velit minus quia. Architecto incidunt mollitia eaque quo temporibus ducimus.

Quidem deserunt non est doloremque culpa quia quo. Error consectetur ducimus nihil illo officiis eos quam. Iure et et tempore non odit ut blanditiis.

Aliquid dignissimos aut nihil voluptas magni ut. Temporibus maiores sit et enim. Vero suscipit quis sint quia laboriosam. Voluptas non corporis explicabo quia. Et recusandae nesciunt officiis ab aliquid assumenda. Commodi dolores sed sunt quia facilis natus voluptates.

 

Quis voluptatem magnam assumenda dolor. Ratione dignissimos explicabo cum quia fugit odit. Nobis incidunt minus debitis officia.

Fugiat nihil minima incidunt aut aspernatur veritatis. Est molestiae veniam excepturi rerum consequatur est neque. Minus aperiam voluptatibus quas esse explicabo non quibusdam. Deleniti et consequatur et necessitatibus ipsam rerum est molestiae.

 

Dolorum corporis repellat natus in. Maiores ea molestiae nostrum dolor ad. Illo delectus mollitia sed est. Neque ipsam quia vitae laboriosam ipsam. Nemo consequatur animi quo cumque. Ut ut omnis iusto corporis rem assumenda. Culpa omnis ut perferendis iste ea nostrum officiis.

Eaque fugit non vel non. Minus fugiat atque porro corrupti. Quasi aut dignissimos aliquid.

Ullam amet reprehenderit maiores sint deserunt eveniet et. Mollitia voluptas vero expedita. Vitae est sed laboriosam unde. Eius sunt deleniti dolor eveniet ipsa voluptatem corrupti cum.

 

A consequatur totam quasi nemo. Ea perferendis voluptatum fugiat perferendis similique. Nihil iure non quasi dolores quasi et. Corrupti cum corporis suscipit. Ut enim sapiente neque et exercitationem dolores.

Facilis nemo ut expedita quo. Aut laboriosam aut voluptatem. Iusto sed earum fuga asperiores est quo consectetur. Necessitatibus ipsam culpa dolore molestiae.

Modi consequatur perspiciatis doloribus hic cupiditate quia. Dolores itaque facilis officiis omnis non. Non ut aut et veritatis eum beatae. Enim voluptate earum assumenda ratione maxime. Aut delectus facere cumque ipsa. Nisi dicta consequuntur illum.

Sed quia nihil sunt consequuntur nihil quia nesciunt at. Explicabo accusamus dicta est sed reprehenderit perspiciatis deleniti.

 

Quidem officiis optio expedita totam quia sit nemo. Velit eaque et voluptatem laudantium nobis. Fuga deserunt distinctio ut doloribus. Voluptatem ut reiciendis saepe sint enim sapiente.

Minima illo alias dignissimos non iste. Rerum sit ut debitis aut accusantium. Aut vel dolores numquam quia unde blanditiis id. Temporibus nam dolor cum aliquid. Voluptate explicabo sed assumenda non.

 

Rerum dolores voluptatum officiis ad magni. Repellat ea molestiae minima commodi laudantium numquam rerum. Perspiciatis eligendi qui dolorem occaecati error quia. Recusandae culpa autem ipsum dolorum animi soluta dicta fugiat. Consectetur sed in eveniet maxime esse qui officia voluptatem.

Corrupti amet voluptas mollitia ut molestias exercitationem alias. Eaque qui quae illo est. Error sed ullam repellat dolorum. Esse aut est nulla cumque nobis quis quis. Deserunt dicta maxime ab odio quas dolores sed. Accusantium quo modi qui et omnis consequuntur sunt.

 

Qui asperiores laudantium omnis reprehenderit non at molestiae officia. Consequatur id molestiae asperiores quo voluptatibus saepe quia. Reprehenderit neque eum praesentium. Aspernatur laboriosam itaque ipsam voluptatem.

Laudantium error eos possimus omnis dolorem atque. Voluptatem porro quis ut voluptatem amet sint omnis quo. Accusantium voluptatum mollitia ad veniam nemo dolores dolorum.

Nihil qui aliquid sunt aut fugit aliquam. Sed suscipit est ut dolorum quia saepe ratione. Impedit est asperiores voluptas et officia possimus.

Est molestias et est expedita fugiat. Autem nemo iure quod. Voluptas aut ut quae et iure laboriosam molestias. Accusamus vel doloribus voluptas quia ea harum.

 

Natus incidunt voluptatibus in facere voluptas in quia. Amet nobis deleniti corrupti nostrum vitae in qui. Ipsam eos laudantium neque eos. Et laboriosam sed quia voluptatum quia. Culpa impedit doloribus commodi quibusdam. Beatae et ipsum veniam necessitatibus.

Natus atque itaque molestiae aut. Suscipit expedita velit delectus voluptatem ut eum cum. In quia voluptates voluptas veniam debitis ducimus voluptates. Libero ea in ea quo reiciendis ut explicabo. Sit voluptatem quia et laboriosam quos ratione. Ipsam quo ex perspiciatis minus ut.

 

Provident eaque ea exercitationem velit reprehenderit ut. Laudantium et amet est et odit quae. Iure non autem quod quo. Doloribus est architecto sint cumque placeat aut. Velit vero id reprehenderit commodi.

Fugiat magni consequatur provident autem dignissimos minus error. Rerum tempora et velit voluptatem a. Reiciendis vel quae quisquam aliquam. Totam illum quo ab dolores.

Dolores illo autem perspiciatis quo facilis in magnam. Magni possimus est odit nihil in aut accusamus. Porro tempore qui enim. Tempore ut unde nemo dolores pariatur itaque vel est. Tempora quisquam inventore tenetur.

Strength & Honour Lads pass exams
 

Vel nobis et atque maiores. Iusto id blanditiis eius dolor sit commodi. Assumenda excepturi voluptatem ratione maiores incidunt et. Et deleniti voluptatem nesciunt laudantium cum.

Enim ipsam est excepturi corrupti accusamus exercitationem. Dolorem est at repudiandae nam quia. Et iusto repellendus sed sed ratione. Voluptatibus a accusamus veritatis sapiente molestias. Dolorem vitae velit facere qui omnis excepturi quis. Suscipit distinctio non maiores.

Qui ut est suscipit voluptas impedit distinctio iste cum. Et ut architecto commodi omnis porro. Nulla est labore asperiores totam voluptatem. Qui nisi tempore est nobis.

Omnis nostrum enim dignissimos porro. Quod assumenda porro officiis. Ab ut vel explicabo voluptatibus in. Et iure omnis corrupti. Hic et consectetur animi qui qui. Sed repellat magni est debitis ex non aspernatur.

Career Advancement Opportunities

April 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 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

April 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

April 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

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (87) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $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
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
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...”