Incoming SA: When to start networking for FT positions
This summer going into my senior year I am interning as an IB SA at a MM bank that is not well known. When is it appropriate and okay to start networking with BB/EB/Top-MMs for FT opportunities.
Is now too soon? Is April/May too soon? Should I wait until I've started my SA stint?
I can claim the reason I am reaching out is to hear about other banks, and because I want to move from my city to NYC.
Please advise on FT recruiting and I will be thankful.
Thank you!
bump
I summered at a tier-2 MM bank (think Stifel/Piper/RJ) and signed my FT at a BB (GS/MS/JPM), so I can perhaps share some relevant insights- FT recruiting timeline ranges from mid-July to mid-October depends on the type of bank (EB is usually on the early end, while BB and MM are less so and vary by each bank's policy). Regional offices also have different timelines.
Personally, I didn't do any networking during my SA stint because I tried to spend more times performing well on the desk and understanding the deals that I was working on. I started reaching out to banks right after my summer ended, and it worked out just fine. FT process is less structured and runs on a need-only basis, so most banks will likely only start the process once they figure out there are open spots( if they didn't give out all the return offers or that some interns have turned down their return offers). Personally, I would not recommend networking before your summer started- it looks bad that someone is trying to jump ship before hitting the desk and the key should be securing that return offer and really understand what you were doing that summer. Hope this helps, and enjoy the fact that you have successfully secured your summer offer!
When you reached out to banks regarding the FT process was it talking to contacts you had at the bank already or new contacts explicitly asking for info on ft?
Both
Thanks so much for this post. I read it all.
If FT recruiting starts in mid-July, you sure I should not be reaching out mid internship?
See, my problem why I am at this low tier MM is because I didn't do a good job networking, so I really don't have a strong base that it seems you had going into FT recruiting.
With that said, how do you think that would affect my route for FT recruiting? Just really confused on it. But your post helped.
interested in this also. I have barely any connects from SA recruiting because I didn't network the way I should, so I'm not even sure when I'd begin to network for FT next year given I'm basically starting at square one
What did you end up doing?
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