Does cold emailing from semi-target work?
the title is pretty self-explanatory but for a bit of context do you think someone from a UK semi would have a shot at getting a first year summer internship by cold emailing/LinkedIn message former students at boutique banks?
It depends what you mean by semi-target. If you mean "not Oxbridge or LSE", then definitely yes (insofar as setting up coffee chats and such - at the vast majority of banks you won't simply get a spring week through cold emails alone).
If we're talking universities outside of the Russell Group, then it's harder. You'll have most luck (and this goes for Oxbridge, LSE, Russell Group, and everywhere really) by targeting university alumni and writing a personalised message with your invite.
thanks alot, and btw I have to say your the GOAT at helping out EMEA wso'ers your up there with pan european monkey man.
Thank you, that's kind!
by semi-targets I mean Durham Bristol St Andrews etc... . However the interships I wanted to cold email about werent for spring alone they were also for like first year summer so do think it could work and also what type of shops should I target like size wise brand etc. Thanks.
Firstly I'd say that those are good schools. St. Andrew's is slightly less so just as it doesn't belong to the Russell Group, but most HR groups recognise that it's a good school. So you stand a good chance for most shops, including BBs. Even top BBs cast their nets further afield than Oxbridge-LSE.
You won't get a first year summer internship or spring week by chatting and networking your way in at most larger and BB shops, or even MMs. However that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it - all networking is helpful and provides good ammunition for your interviews and cover letters for spring weeks.
You might get lucky at smaller shops just through networking.
However my advice is this. You go to a good school which is a target for most institutions. You stand every chance of entering IB through the traditional Spring Week / 2nd Year Summer Internship route. Look for people who went to your university and work at specific banks, and send personalised messages. Hope they bite. If and when they do, ask interesting and tailored questions. Politely ask if you can reference them in your Spring Week applications. After those who went to your university, cast the net more broadly - find commonalities (same hometown or whatever) and use that to make a connection. Apply for Spring Weeks and nail it.
I stress this point about personalised messages. We get so many now (even I after a decade receive maybe 10 a month, so the juniors should receive far more), that I can't possibly respond to even a quarter. So we need to be selective.
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