Is Nepotism Dead?

Is Nepotism dead? I don't know if it is just my conception, but I feel like 15 years ago if your dad played golf with a GS MD you could get an internship and a job from Penn State (no offense). Now, not so much... Pressure from IB clients has pushed HR to promote more merit based hiring- for better or worse. That isn't to say that networking is dead, but rather just that who your dad is matters less. (Getting along well with alums and developing a good, social, reputation in junior roles is still alive and well). Is this just my perception or is it actually true? I know a smart sociable girl who is at a semi-target (think Vandy, Georgetown, Tufts, USC) with a 3.7+ who's parent is a well connected CIO at a 10B+ HF/PE firm and started in IB- her dad has told her it still may be a stretch to get her a junior internship at a BB? Is that really true?

Love to know your thoughts.

82 Comments
 
Controversial

Pretty much. It's been replaced by the evils of diversity recruiting.

 
Funniest

If nepotism was dead, Zachary Dell wouldn’t be an incoming Blackstone PE analyst straight out of USC

 

Or Chelsea Clinton getting hired by NBC for 600k a year with zero experience, and then sitting on the board of directors for IAC and Expedia group netting millions in payment fees over the last decade. People who really have nepotism to draw on do not go to IB to format powerpoint pages......there far more lucrative things they can do for less bitch work.

 

It exists, its just...different now. Now if you are purple haired lesbian dance theory major that's undocumented and gender fluid AND your dad golfs with a Goldman MD.....I'd argue you don't even need to show up to superday to get an offer.

Diversity (only the "right" kinds, not KOREAN, CHINESE, JAPANESE, INDIAN or ARAB) mixed with Nepotism is a DEADLY combo right now in recruiting.

 
[Comment removed by mod team]
 

Nah. If kid were semi-competent, he could have used dad’s contacts to get hired at another shop. Then he’d be just another spreadsheet monkey like all the other first-years. If he got promoted, it would be earned.

Going to work for dad straight out of school means dad couldn’t talk his contacts into giving his boy a job. Might as well have “loser” tattooed on son’s forehead.

 

It's not just a matter of folks getting in the door through connections, and by extension keeping out those of greater ability and work ethic. The sons and daughters club also enjoys easier work, lower expectations, better treatment, and career advancement.

Eventually the chickens will come home to roost and organizations with much of this going on will fail. See Donald Trump and Jared Kushner vs. the novel coronavirus.

 

No, it's very much alive.. just hidden.

Four examples:

2018: My flatmate was hired at a BB, her dad is an MD there she didn't even really need to apply/interview she just had two very informal chilled interviews then got the offer.

2019: Another friend was hired at a different BB because her uncle is a client of the BB. She again just had a casual couple of chill interviews that were basically talking about hobbies.

2020: My friend was hired at an EB because a family member was a client.

Me: I got an interview because of example 1, my flatmates dad being an MD at the BB helped get me an interview which I converted into an offer.

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