Is it bad to keep networking after signing SA?
I've signed an SA offer for this summer I'm really happy about. But there are a few alum in my city or people with similar experiences that have left to either Law/ Teaching/ buyside(that don't offer FT analyst programs) in my city, which I was interested in learning about their experiences. However, some of these people (especially on the buyside) are treating my outreach as a recruiting call (asking me to send my resume (which I've included in the email) to an application.Frankly, I'm a little nervous if this will go back to my firm as me trying to rerecruit vs. me trying to just learn more and connect with other alum. Should I stop what i'm doing and just focus on my summer internship or is it okay to still outreach to people despite landing a job already.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, it's not inherently bad to continue networking after signing a summer analyst (SA) offer, especially if your intent is to learn from others' experiences and not to re-recruit. Here are some tips to consider:
Clarify Intentions: Make sure to clearly communicate your intentions when reaching out. You're interested in learning about their career paths and experiences, not looking for a job. This can help prevent misunderstandings.
Be Transparent: If asked, be honest about your current position and that you have accepted an SA offer. Transparency can help build trust and prevent any potential backlash.
Timing: Consider the timing of your outreach. If you're close to starting your SA, it might be wise to focus on preparing for that experience. However, if you have some time before your internship begins, networking can be beneficial.
Respect Boundaries: If someone is not comfortable continuing the conversation under the impression it's a recruiting call, respect their stance and try to steer the conversation back to learning and mentorship.
Focus on Learning: Emphasize your desire to learn from their experiences. This can include their transition into different fields, the skills they found valuable, and advice they might have for someone at the beginning of their career.
Be Cautious: If you feel that your networking efforts might be misconstrued or if there's a risk of it reflecting poorly on you with your future employer, it might be prudent to scale back and focus on your upcoming internship.
Remember, networking is about building relationships over time, not just when you need a job. It's perfectly fine to connect with professionals to gain insights into various career paths. Just be sure to navigate these interactions with care and professionalism.
Sources: My FT Recruiting Process, Really unsatisfied with SA group placement and looking for advice?, Networking and timeline for 2023 FT IBD recruiting, Are You Supposed To Keep Networking Post-Offer?, If your SA internship is canceled, but you get FT offer, will you still recruit for "better" job?
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