Catfishing Bankers on Hinge - New Networking Strategy?!

Hey guys, over the last few weeks I’ve devised a genius strategy to get unparalleled exposure to investment bankers.

My plan was to set up a Hinge profile with fake pictures of an attractive woman. I set the location to NYC and swiped right on every banker I saw until I got a match with a banker from a real Elite Boutique (think EVR, PJT, Mizuho).

I was so excited to finally have the opportunity to network with a banker, but when he walked into the coffee shop for our hinge date, he was horrified when he saw that I was a dude. Instead of complementing me for my creativity and outside the box thinking, he called me “psychotic” and “crazy”. I tried to ask him about a deal he worked on, and if he had any advice for me in the recruiting process, but he just walked out and didn’t even give me a minute of his time!

As I reflect on what happened, I can’t figure out where I went wrong?! Was it wrong of me to catfish a banker into a coffee chat, or do I just need to prepare better questions next time? Any advice would be appreciated!!

25 Comments
 

This was a while back, but had a stern girl on hinge ask to sleep with me in exchange for a referral (after like ten texts and completely unprompted) because she saw I was an investment banker. I was so spooked out and blocked her immediately. 

 

Associate 1 in IB - Cov

NYU Stern girls are scary 

I met a girl in my analyst class who went to NYU. She looked like a taller Winnie Cooper from the Wonder Years, probably too dated for most of you. I mentioned that, and she ran out crying. I told her friends, "what did I do?" "Winnie was the hottest girl for many of us in that era." Apparently, that wasn't good enough. We later did become friends. Great person. 

 

Would it be okay if I did this as a girl? set it up like a date and ask for linkedin/advice.......

i'm being 75% serious

 

would you be mad tho? the grind is real.....

As a decently pretty girl, Would i get away with doing this to a VP?

 

Would I be mad if someone who had no interest in dating me brought me out to spend my money and time on them expressly for the purpose of scoring a referral, LinkedIn, or connection within IB?

I wouldn’t be pleased. It’s just not the right thing to do.

And I wouldn’t accept any romantic favors in exchange for career favors, that’s creepy and wrong. I hope you wouldn’t offer any; you have a lot of worth, you’re a dignified and accomplished human being, don’t “sell yourself” like that. You can succeed on your own merits.

Alternatively, I almost always respond to LinkedIn DMs/requests from qualified candidates, and I’ve given referrals before if they impress me over the phone. I want to help, and I want prospects to succeed.

But, please, there’s a right way to do it. Just be honest about what you want and use the appropriate channels. If you need any interview advice, you can through my comment history or even PM me, I’d respond and engage.

There’s help out there. Please just go about it the right way.

 

Probably not.

Hate to be the “not fun” one, but I think I speak for most people in IB when I say that we have so much more to lose than gain by doing something like this.

The career repercussions for a young banker being involved in a “romance-for-career benefit” exchange are astronomical; you get found out, your career is over. It’s also just not the right thing to do. And if they get “found out,” you’re in trouble as well.

I’ve given interview prep and recruitment advice on dates before, but it’s never been quid pro quo. I’ve never expected any favors for it, and it’s never been on a first date … it’s been once I’ve gotten to know someone a bit better and know that they’re genuinely interested in me for me, not for my role.

I’ve never given a referral to someone I’ve been romantically involved with. That’s just … complicated.

 

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