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October 31, 2026
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Has this "finance/IB guy" ever worked in banking?
He is just out of touch. The days where you can go to a target and just breeze through and then have a FT offer land in your lap are long gone. I would start networking ASAP. FT recruiting is extremely tough and competitive. You need any edge that you can get.
Is it possible to land interviews and offers without networking? Sure, but networking is a free option that has minimal (if any) drawbacks and can only increase your chances.
If nothing else, it should give you some vetted answers for "Why this bank?".
You can risk it and not network, there's always a possibility that you land an offer provided you kill the interviews.
But all else equal if another candidate does equally well in the interviews, has a "decent resume" like yours, and has had lunch with a few guys, he's getting the job over you.
If you have the time, network. If you don't have the time, make time. It can only help.
Did he say you shouldn't network? The onus is on you to further YOURSELF in your own career, why would you not want the potential upside of networking?
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