Networking pro tips
Hey guys
As you all know networking is key to get sought-after positions. I have a specific question that wouldn't apply to the many other networking threads. So a little context: I've been networking extensively through my schools alumni database and setting up a decent amount of calls. I get to learn a lot about the industry however, I can't seem to get to the next step where they can basically update me about my application status or "recommend
me". Any tips on how to address this without saying hey I applied to your company's program can you push my app?
Thank you
End every conversation by asking "what's your company's recruiting cycle look like for this year?" or "where are you guys at in the process?" etc. This method is good because it usually leads them into asking you for your resume - it is my go-to. Alternatively, you can ask in the follow-on email where they are at, and ask if you can be included. Never say "push my application", it comes across as arrogant. You have to be soft, but confident in your interest.
lol every time i ask about their interview timeline they say they have no idea
Interview timeline? Or recruiting timeline? They probably have no idea when exactly their interviews are happening, but they do probably can speak to where they are at in the process (i.e. we haven't had interviews, we have had interviews, we are done, etc.). But if that's really the case, then reach out to different people. Expand your network. Ask to be connected with another analyst.
I maintained an spreadsheet of everyone I have ever spoken to as well as a little comment section on any little details I could bring up in a future email or conversation. Early in the networking process, it is best to keep in contact every 1.5-2 months, even if you just send them a quick note of who else you have spoken to in the firm.
My biggest advice would be to follow up with the people you have already spoken to and let them know of any new conversations with people in the same bank. By doing so, the analysts you speak to feel valued as a mentor, they see that you are making your rounds throughout the bank, and they can follow up with the new person you just spoke with. And like the comments above, I would ask where are you guys in the recruitment process/timeline.
Hey thanks that's definitely great insight, I also have a sheet where I keep everyone I talk to with details about them and also how the first call went (to know what type of person they are). How do you tell them who else you've spoken to in the company without sounding like you're name dropping
Networking etiquette help (Originally Posted: 09/20/2017)
Hey everyone,
Recently graduated from a non-target this summer, attempting to break into a major market in a financial analyst position. I have been doing a ton of networking and making some good connections but was curious how most handle something. When people you meet say they will send your resume to people they know/HR, what is the best way to word a follow up?
Anything along the lines of "Did you forward my resume?" doesn't seem appropriate.
Thanks!
A gentle nudge or follow up email saying "Hi Jon, Thank you for offering to foward my resume. I greatly appreciate it and look forward to speaking soon etccccc." should do the trick. This then enables you to bring up the persons name should you land an interview etccc.
I normally send followup emails/notes the day after. I know people can forget/get busy, if it's been like a week or 2 after and you haven't heard anything, what would be the best way to respond?
I normally send followup emails/notes the day after. I know people can forget/get busy, if it's been like a week or 2 after and you haven't heard anything, what would be the best way to respond?
I usually approached this a little differently but just me. I would set up an informational call with them, ask them a few broad questions. Then I'd follow up and thank them for their time, ask if they could take the time to meet for coffee. Then I'd get more detailed in what I was trying to accomplish and what advice they had. Then assuming this went OK, usually if they were generally interested in helping me they would naturally say 'hey send me your resume we are hiring' or something along those lines. Then I would say "OK i'll get it to you in the next couple of days or whatever" and then this gives you an excuse to 1) send them a thank you email the day after and then 2) send a final follow up email with your resume. This process worked fairly well for me. You have to think of networking like sales, it comes down to prospecting and touch points. You don't want to just throw your resume around everywhere because it makes you look desperate and you end up wasting your time on dead-end prospects. Easing into a rapport with someone is the best way to both gain trust from people you are trying to woo and ensure that you are spending time on the opportunities that have the best % to convert to a job.
yeah it depends who you are reaching out to. If you aim high enough on the ladder, its best to just get to the point and see what the deal is regarding available opportunities. Not all of these guys are willing to go out/have the time to go on casual coffee talks.
Networking Help (Originally Posted: 08/14/2016)
I reached out to a head of dept. at a major BB, and she told me to connect with a VP who is heavily involved in their junior recruiting. Should I prepare for my conversation with the VP as if it was a phone screen or do you think it will be a more casual networking conversation. I've had plenty of networking phone calls but never in a position where the brought up internships before the call. Thanks monkeys.
good stuff, and I highly doubt that there will be anything technical involved in the call. VP is probably looking to help answer any questions that you might have regarding their recruiting process and timelines, but also gauging whether you are likable, seem smart, and genuinely interested in the firm. beyond that, dont stress it, and ask to stay connected as you move through the process.
Networking Help - Most interested in S&T (Originally Posted: 10/13/2011)
New member, been a lurker for a while, finally decided to join because its time i get some quality/ruthless advice/opinions on furthering my career.
Background- Non Target school graduate. Interned for 2 consecutive years in internal corporate finance for fortune 500. Currently finishing 1st year as Financial Analyst in internal corporate finance for same company. Looking to move into "Real" Finance ASAP.
Long term goal- I would like to work in investment management as a portfolio manager (PE,HF,Mutual Fund, or even my own small IM group)
Short term goal- Get out of internal corporate finance. Most interested in Sales and trading (who isnt? I know). I am a realist. I would love to work in equity sales.
I am going to San Fran in a couple weeks to visit some friends. I have scored a meeting with the president/portfolio manager of a small Investment management group through family connections. He has many contacts in both NY and SF.
Firms Stats: $508mil AUM, from the website...."offers its institutional grade investment management to high net worth individuals, investment advisors, foundations and select institutional investors. "
I am looking for advice on several fronts. First off, any advice pertaining to a networking meeting with a non specific goal would be appreciated (i.e. Im not necessarily asking this guy for a job) Any advice on having a structured "pitch" without being cheesy, or to formal.
Second. how should i approach this opportunity? should i be honest and tell him i am looking to break into Ibanking, specifically sales, hoping he has a contact that could give me a shot? But at the same time shooting myself in the foot and looking uninterested in his job?
Or should I ham up my interest in Investment management, hoping that he personally will give me a shot?
I dont want to be dishonest, but i dont want to blow this.
Would taking a job at a firm such as this be pigeon holing myself? I am young, at 23 i dont know how many opportunities for advancement there are in investment management firms for someone with no experience. And i feel it is easier to go from the street to a group like this in the future than vice versa.
Apologies for the length. Any feedback/advice/ fuck ill even take abuse...would be appreciated.
Be upfront with what you want. I would mention what you'd like to do towards the end of the informational interview...good luck.
Thanks. My thoughts are that it is probably a positive that I specifically know what I want to do. I am curious as to how likely it is for someone to move from a Business Development/ "Sales" position at a private investment management group to a Sales position at a BB/MM/Boutique Ibank. I should have probably mentioned that I am mostly interested in the performance based environment IB provides. I am not sure if the performance/reward relationship is found in a private firm such as this.
To the extent that you are a good salesman, you can sell anything. That being said, sales for an investment management firm has nothing to do with sales in S&T. More importantly, sales is not a career path towards portfolio management. If you want a performance based environment, any sales role would be fine. You eat what you kill. Doesn't matter if you're selling steak knives or mutual funds.
My advice would be figure out what you really want to do and use this meeting to learn more about your contact.
Networking -- am I too early/how to go about the proper way? (Originally Posted: 07/19/2018)
So the goal is to transfer to a major market after I get about 18 months in at my current job. It is at one of the three brokerage houses, so the option to transfer internally is there. My situation though, is how can I/do I make connections to the professionals out at the office where I am trying to transfer to?
I have connected with a few MD's at my firm through LinkedIn and messaged them asking if I could get 5 minutes of their time or simply email a few questions I have about the work they do. The emailing part was out of courtesy as I know their emails since we are at the same firm. But they haven't responded yet, and I am sure they are busy too, but what is the right way to go about this? How can I connect with senior professionals to ask about their path to the current role and the type of industry that they work in?
I don't wanna be pesky and message them again on LinkedIn, but I don't want to send them an unsolicited email, unless that is the right way?? I have also connected with other senior professionals at competing firms, but haven't reached out to them as I would like to stay within my current firm, but I suppose the question remains the same regardless.
Anyone have any advice on how to properly go about networking for a future position? I don't want to seem overbearing, but I would like for these guys to remember my name/interests when they see my resume or an opening comes up and they are thinking of who to hire. Any advice is appreciated as always.
Should mention I will start seriously looking to transfer markets come Summer 2019.
I don't see the problem with emailing them. And they probably don't check their LinkedIn as often as their email.
In real estate, being good on the phones is a skill rarely found in the younger cohort yet highly prized by the older-school crowd. So if you can get their phone numbers, I would be way more impressed with an articulate VM than with a generic email of 'hey let me meet with you under the guise of wanting to get coffee even though we both know that we will be too polite/formal to order what we really want at the coffee shop so we will really just be mindlessly talking and feigning interest in each other's goings-on even though it's clear that all I want is a job.'
cosigning this. I was introduced to a pretty high level guy in AM. We exchanged maybe one or two emails and then he called me and talked to me for 45+ minutes.
I met with a Sr. VP of one of the big 3 brokerages and he advised me to contact two MDs via phone. Straight up call them, leave a brief voicemail (practice what you'll say before the beep), or talk to them if they answer. He told me that people in brokerage respect you getting their attention without being a pain in the ass about it. I was able to connect with both MDs that way.
From what I've heard, the older someone is, the less likely they are on social networking websites
Need Ibanking Networking Advice (Originally Posted: 07/24/2012)
I'm entering networking mode very soon. Got a few questions:
-How many people should you reach out to at most in a given office?
-Is reaching out to analysts ever a good idea, or would you be better off aiming at associates and higher? I know this has been addressed in other threads, but there has been little consensus. This also goes hand in hand with the previous question. I'm just not sure who to reach out to.
-Do you have any advice for networking beyond your geographic area, or is it about the same thing? I'm especially interested in New York and Chicago, and doubt the employees would know my university.
-How do you decide whether you should call or email? Theoretically (at least in my view), one of these methods should have a higher hit rate and it should always be the one you use.. The way I see it, I should just spam emails to millions of people requesting info sessions because on the phone, you either reach the gatekeeper, someone who's really busy or just wind up requesting an info session at another time anyway. Am I wrong?
Thank you very much for your input.. this is extremely important to me
There are tons of people on LinkedIn. I don't tailor it to each individual person unless I really want to talk to them. Otherwise I just apply their name to the company e-mail and blast away, just changing the first name. I e-mail one person at an office per week if the firm is smaller (until I get a response), but with bigger firms, you can probably e-mail a few more people at a given time. Just don't BCC everyone.
Thanks, alternating sounds like a good idea. Anymore advice anyone?
bump
For these types of cold-emailing techniques, what do you write in the body of your email?
Is it essentially your cover letter and expressing interest in their firm, or do you ask more for an informational interview with the person and hope things will branch out from there..
I'd ask to have a brief chat with them about their background/company/company process if this is your first time getting into a conversation with them.
If it's near recruiting season I would be aggressive and try to politely ask them to refer your resume to HR or ask to speak with somebody else.
If it's well in advance of recruiting season, I would just thank and let them know that you plan to stay in touch and will ping them occasionally.
Advice Needed - Networking (Originally Posted: 09/16/2013)
As a bit of background, I am currently a Junior at a non-target and have completed a few finance summer internships. I have just recently begun reaching out to alumni that are currently in the investment banking industry, specifically those in New York. Cold-emailing has been very successful and has resulted in several informational interviews with said alumnus over the phone.
Overall, the conversations have been extremely helpful and I have been given great advice concerning the individual’s background, how they broke into the industry, how they prepared, what I should begin familiarizing myself with, and how I should go about positioning myself for a Summer Analyst position at their firm, as well as information on their group and how their group/bank is different from others on the street.
They have mentioned that they would be more than willing to continue answering my questions along the way as they came up and that I should feel free to reach out. Herein lies the problem… I am genuinely curious on how I should continue to cultivate the relationship. What kind of questions should I ask them when I reach out again? What approach/direction should I take? Thoughts?
Bump
Treat them as friends. Come to nyc ans grab coffee/drinks if of age. Make them want to help a friend, not an undergrad from their alma matee.
I'm not sure; I've found that usually if you want an interview you need to set that expectation before you speak to them. In other words, they need to see you as a potential candidate for their firm from the outset. I have made a lot of friends through networking but IME what you want to do is be very direct about who you are, what you've done, and what you want from them. You can go indirect and keep in touch but you'll end up developing a lot of relationships that won't end up as an interview. There's nothing wrong with that at all, but if that's not what you're looking for you may end up disappointed.
Thanks for the advice. Anymore additional thoughts?
Bump
The easiest way to drop a strong hint would be asking them about their backgrounds; how did you get into IB? what did you do to break in from a non target? what are your future plans?
After that, voice some admiration and that you aspire to follow the same (or similar) path. Ask them what the situation is at their bank and if they'd be able to help you when recruiting comes around.
Wrap it up and put a bow on it. If this doesn't work, then they weren't interested in helping you anyways, so the point is moot. However, if they've given you their time and have entertained the idea of speaking with you, you already have some good signs. As kidflash said, try to become "friends". The last thing you want to do is come off as someone that uses people as an ends to their own means without giving anything back.
Need some networking advice... over ambitious? (Originally Posted: 11/15/2013)
Hi everyone, so I'm a first year at a large company with many different divisions. I'm currently trying to lateral into a different division and have met with a person who did a similar switch. He said he would ask his manager... which he did and then said they were currently working on winning some engagements and that they may have a need in the future. This was 2 weeks ago.
Fast forward to yesterday... met another two guys in the group at a random after-work event and they offered to meet with me and talk more about the group and everything. The first guy introduced me to them.
I also reached out to an alumni from my school doing similar work at a different firm (not trying to move, just informational), and he said he was good friends with the head of the group at my firm and would be happy to introduce me via email. I said that would be great, but I'm hesitant.
I'm worried that I'm coming across as trying too hard now. The only people I reached out to are the first guy for coffee and then the alumn, but I feel like meeting with too many people in the group and expressing an interest is being overambitious (even though I never even asked to get coffee/be introduced, except for the first guy).
Should I proceed with the meet-up with the head of the group?
Advice appreciated.
tl;dr worried that I would come across as trying too hard for networking with too many people within a smallish group. (25 people)
Wait, you really think this is what it means to be over ambitious?
Just meet him.
I would just be careful that all you're doing doesn't get back to your current boss and piss him off enormously.
ER: It won't... the other group is within the same umbrella and people move between them quite often.
Then I can't see why it would be a bad idea to meet the group head...just don't email everyone you know daily asking if they have an opening yet.
I'm just afraid that I'd be pushing too hard since they already know I'm interested. Obviously I want to meet him, I just don't know if the timing is right.
Only you know your situation well enough to make the final decision. If you're uncertain about it, and because of your contact you could be introduced at a later date, why not wait but meet him later?
End of the day its a casual internal meeting. Do it even if it will make your current boss hate you, because if he is like that you need to move ASAP before he can torpedo your reviews to keep you, and otherwise there is no downside.
I think its great that you have many options to reach out to.
However, I think yes you might be weaker if you play all your cards at the same time.
1) You're not likely to get that much more value from 2 intros. Spend your time preparing to blow their minds with your profile. Much higher ROI in my oppinion.
2) Remember you can still reach to the Head after.
Introduction and Networking tips (Originally Posted: 05/31/2016)
Don't think of small talk as "wasting their time" - it's building a personal connection and turns the call from an interrogation into an actual conversation. These phone calls aren't 100% about you getting to learn about the firm/industry; it's networking and trying to get the other person to remember you and have a good impression. Probably 75+% of the stuff you'll hear about their job will be something you already knew/should've known or cookie cutter stories about culture. And trust me, we'll enjoy the conversation much more if we're talking about our hobbies/interests than have to explain our jobs in HR/compliance-friendly terms for the 10th time this week.
Strange Networking Experience - Need Advice (Originally Posted: 08/23/2017)
About 6 weeks ago I cold emailed an MD at a small branch of a boutique investment bank about setting up an informational interview. He never responded but a week later an intern responded to my email and only said "What time would you be available to interview for a fall position?" I set up an interview but a few days before it was scheduled I wanted more information to help prepare and I asked him who I was interviewing with, if I should bring any supplemental materials, and if I could be sent an official job description. The intern responded saying that they need to cancel my interview and that they would be in touch to reschedule. They never got back to me but the company just posted a fall internship position on my school's career website and I applied online. My question is whether or not I should email the MD to try to set up another Informational Interview or not. I would've already done so but I'm afraid that I already burned the bridge by asking questions so close to the original interview date.
pick up the phone and talk to the intern to get an answer immediately...
email the intern by replying to the original email and ask what times would be available for rescheduling or if you should just go through the job posting.
As for the questions you asked, you shouldn't have imo. It doesn't matter who you're interviewing with (should treat it the same regardless), always bring extra resumes and a notepad with you in those folder things, and should've just asked about the job duties when you got to the interview (if they weren't clear, they'll usually explain at the start of the interview)
With a small firm, they might not want to put a lot of muscle behind recruiting. This could be one reason they have an intern sending out invites to interviews rather than an HR rep. My suggestion, just wait until they reach out to set up an interview again. If the post is up for a week and you don't hear anything, I would wait until about 10 days after the post was put up to just email the intern, inquire about the post and just to remind them that they seemed interested and that you remain interested in a potential position.
redacted
Hey StackAttack, I'm here to break the silence...any of these links help you?:
If we're lucky, the following pros may have something to say: Quang-Phan MintM CREbanking
If those topics were completely useless, don't blame me, blame my programmers...
1st Year Analysts, any advice on improving networking skills? (Originally Posted: 07/27/2018)
I'm trying to improve my networking skills to attempt to at least slightly increase my response rate for people that I try to cold email/call.
What worked for you if you've been successful?
If people are reaching out to you now, what do you like/not like in an initial message from a college sophomore or junior?
Hi Personperson, check out these links:
No promises, but thought I'd mention a few relevant users that work in the industry: bobgoldstein FJFJFJ alpinespringwater
I hope those threads give you a bit more insight.
Another Networking Question . . . Tricky Situation (Originally Posted: 08/02/2009)
I know these questions are ever abundant and a usual source for rhetoric and sarcasm but I would really appreciate some advice =).
I have a "contact" over at a BB who is in the private wealth management division. I originally got in touch with him because he's my father's personal wealth adviser. Over the past year or so we've met informally once and had one other informal phone call where he's provided me with general career advice and insight into the finance industry. I actually had been offered a position to intern at his office (basically cold-calling for his group) but I had already accepted another position by the time they finally offered it to me (a 3 week gap between when I interviewed and received the offer).
Do you think it appropriate to reach out to him and ask him for a contact/reference to the IB department? Maybe go so far as to ask for a recommendation? How would should I go about asking for his help?
Tell him to do it, else your dad will withdraw all his funds and move to another adviser!
It sounds like a solid enough relationship that it shouldn't be a problem to give him a call, express an interest in IB and ask him if he knows any bankers. He may not, but then again, he may. I don't know what kind of a rec you could get from him considering you've never worked for him, but him referring you to a banker shows his seal of approval - usually if someone is putting you in contact with a colleague/friend, it's because they think you're an alright candidate (at least).
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Networking Help - Met an alum from non-target (Originally Posted: 03/22/2010)
Hi all,
Quick question. I randomly met an alum from my non target school who's a 2nd yr analyst at at BB in NY. We didn't really talk for long, but I got his card and he said to keep in touch. How should I approach this? I'm a sophomore so I'd need his help come the fall (If he even can) to help get an interview. How and when should I start emailing him? How do I not come across like I'm only looking for a job?
Thanks
get the interview by your own merits.
You have until next winter to show him you have an interest in banking. Don't come right out and mention a job, but show him that banking is what you want to do (and for the right reasons). Update him every once in a while on what you've been doing and with questions that you have. He'll know you're looking for a SA next summer and you want to be fresh in his mind come winter.
Next year when recruiting begins, apply to the position. E-mail him and ask him how he's doing, how things are etc etc. Tell him you applied for the SA position with his bank, and ask if there's anything he could do to help with the process. Also ask if you could come visit him in the office, talking to people in the firm will be immensely helpful come interview time.
try to meet him in person
Alright thanks for the help, I'll try and meet him again some time but I'm sure I'd assume that would come after talking to him over email/phone a few times. Last question, should I go ahead an email him now and follow up during the summer, or is that too early?
You can shoot him a quick 'thanks for chatting' type email. Just a couple of sentences and say that you will keep in touch.
I agree with bstej. Don't wait, send the thank you e-mail straight away to reinforce a positive impression and to make it more likely he will remember you.
Networking.. PLEASE HELP (Originally Posted: 07/08/2012)
Hey guys.... Currently in DC doing an internship. I am planning on studying abroad in Moscow this spring semester ( mid January-early May). The program I am probably going to do is called "Business Russian and internship program". It combines classroom study with an unpaid, part time internship. They help set you up with an internship. That being said, should I network myself and try to find places to intern at, or just completely rely on the program? Or both?
Also, a specific question about a possible contact. I went to dinner with my dad and an investment officer at an international organization (think IMF, OPIC, IFC). The dinner was good... he asked me general questions like what am i studying, etc. Then later on he said,
"if you are interested in an internship or something let me know, we could try to do something, it is very hard to get anything in DC but at our offices abroad its a bit easier, let me know". I basically said like thanks that sounds really cool. So how do i proceed from here? Was he just being nice in front of my dad?
Well, start with following up with him...
He may introduce you to someone under him and say "do the best you can" or he may be a great contact. Just e-mail the guy with your resume attached and saying something like:
"had a great time at meeting you and getting to learn more about the company. In your opinion what is the best way to go about getting an internship at the company? I've attached my resume for your reference."
American University representing
Networking HELP Please (Originally Posted: 05/23/2013)
Alright, I have two questions, well one is more so a story, but I would like advice on both.
So I reached out to a VP today at a BB, we had an informational interview, and she was refusing to answer my questions. She thought I was conducting an interview, umm, it's called an INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW, hello? She is from another country, so she may not be aware of the whole networking thing. Anyway, conversation lasted for about 25 minutes, but is there anything I can do here to salvage the connection or should I fuck it and move on? Honestly, she seemed like complete snobby bitch, because she thought she was so damn special. She literally spent 8 minutes telling me the shit she owned, like WTF? I don't give a fuck.
Also, I have spoken with analysts at a BB, conducted informational interviews, and they told me to contact them if I ever need anything else. Anyway, how can I go about following up with them and asking for referrals to more senior people? Our conversations have been great, but I would like to speak with some MD's.
Thanks for reading my post/rant, and any help is appreciated.
The most important factor in networking is getting the other person to like you. The best way to do that is to get him/her talking about his/her favorite subject.. them. With the VP, you may not care about what she owns, but she's giving you 8 minutes of conversation fodder. She obviously likes the shit shes owns, so ask her follow up questions about something and keep her talking about herself. If the person you're talking to likes you, then they may go to bat for you and connect you with someone else. I'd be willing to bet the last thing she wants to talk about is work. You can find all the "information" you need about the job by spending 30 minutes on Google (+ see M&I's day in the life of an [insert finance job title]).
Networking Advice (and Concerns) (Originally Posted: 04/20/2014)
Hi all,
First off just wanted to thank everyone on this site for being such a great resource. As a sophomore, I was very fortunate enough to land an ECM summer internship at a boutique with a lot of effort and (hundreds) of cold calls/emails/applications. In the next couple month, I plan to go all out at my internship and do extensive modelling self study.
However, my exclusive focus on school and job searching deviated my networking efforts this past semester. While I networked extensively with alumni in the fall and attended various info sessions, I don't think I even made a single call in the spring.
That brings me to my main question: How important is it to network over the summer as an undergraduate sophomore (especially to catch up on foregone opportunities to network last spring)? I've drafted an extensive list of IBD analysts/associates alumni whom I originally planned on networking with this summer. However, I was concerned if my time would be better spent focusing on work and self education.
As a side note, my goal is to land an SA role at a larger MM/BB for junior summer.
Thanks in advance.
Find time whenever you can to get on calls/do in-person meetings.
You're going to definitely need it when junior year SA recruiting swings around.
Network during the summer as much as you can without compromising your job performance - given that it's probably understood/expected that you won't be returning to this place FT since you're a sophomore (and since you want to end up elsewhere), if the bankers at the boutique seem receptive, see if they can introduce you to their friends etc in the industry.
In my experience, it is much easier to network/have people meet with you when you're currently in an internship as opposed to when you're trying to find one, so use the opportunity wisely.
Thanks for the advice guys. Hours at the summer internship are pretty lax (9-5ish + lunch break), so I think I should be able to at least get in a phone call every other day.
Two questions: 1. What time is best to schedule a call with analysts/associates 2. Should I limit the number of alumni I network with at each bank? (I'm worried that people might catch on to the fact that I'm probably asking the same questions over and over)
I highly recommend only building a relationship with 1-2 people at any bank, but genuinely becoming friends etc - I've received interviews/bypassed the application process (submitting applications online etc) at more than one bank because of the relationships I've developed with bankers, and I've never actually asked anyone for help in the process - it was always "hey I think you'd be great here, send me your resume" kind of stuff. This is much more effective than having 1-2 conversations with a few people and then asking someone to forward your resume, as if you know someone well they will really go to bat for you. The plus side of this approach is you genuinely make new friends and build a strong network
This is what I thought as well. Does this approach apply to both boutiques and larger firms?
AYA #1: Networking Advice (Originally Posted: 05/06/2015)
Reposted in blog
http://ayainsight.co/
An entire newsletter? Here is some ACTUAL advice for 20-somethings:
Dudes: 1. Your socks are not cute. 2. Wow, you are drinking scotch neat, you are so manly!!! 3. You will not meet your wife at Wilfies. 4. Stop wearing Patagonia. 5. A girl will not like you more if you take her to Babbo. 6. A girl will not like you less for getting her Seamless. 7. I cringe every time I see your LinkedIn picture. 8. NO ONE CARES ABOUT WATCHES. 9. When in doubt, wear a plaid shirt. Why? Inexplicable. 10. Smell good.
Girls: 1. Stop.
never.
AYA#2 coming out soon - let me know if you guys have any input on this first edition above. Thanks!
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Networking Advice (?) from HR (Originally Posted: 06/15/2015)
Currently a sophomore working in ops at a BB. I go to a target school, but my grades are not stellar, and I'm coming in knowing that breaking into the front office is going to be extremely difficult.
I brought up the idea of cold-emailing alumni at the firm (didn't mention to the Ops HR person whether these people were front office or not) and he just straight up told me, "Don't do it, it's not the culture here. Wait until you meet them at the [xxx school] networking even that we're putting on, before you cold-email them, because you have nothing in common with them other than the fact that you went to the same school."
I've reached out to plenty of people cold before and most definitely didn't expect a 100% hit rate, but I've made contacts with some key people for next year, so I'm hoping I can see some success here. Given some of the stories I've read of people making the transition from BO to FO, it seems that they cold-emailed plenty of analysts/associates/VPs/MDs and had some success due to the fact that they were already somewhat in the door.
How should I approach this situation? Should I wait until the networking event or start selectively making some contacts?
I would listen to HR for a few reasons.
Using firm internal directories for networking is pretty risky. You have privelaged access to the database for work purposes, the second you start making it for personal gain you run the risk of pissing a lot of people off. If someone doesn't want to respond to a cold email/call from someone external, that's an easy decision. If it is someone internally within the firm, that looks somewhat unprofessional (unless you actually know the person) and can very easily be reported to your manager (if that person wants to go so far). Not to mention, if you end up working with the person in your current role, you are already the kid who's bothered someone who may not have wanted to talk to you.
You've told HR. All that needs to happen is for someone who doesn't want to be receiving cold emails to forward yours on to HR. I can't imagine that would go well.
I'm sure some people have has success with internal cold emails, but if someone goes to an alumni event internally, their goal is likely to network. If they are attending in person, assume they want to meet people and expand their network internally. That's completely acceptable and a perfect time to start meeting FO people. But, assuming they may want to talk just because you have their email (I.e. cold emailing), that could go wrong very quickly. Especially if the only reason you were able to email them is because you have access to it through your job.
Networking Advice (Originally Posted: 11/25/2007)
I have been networking with alumni.After talking to other kids in banking at my school they suggested that when I first contact alumni I ask to set up a time to talk with them about banking. My intention of networking is to get interviews for summer internships. How/when do you appropriately ask people about internship opportunities at their firm? Is it OK to do this during the first phone conversation.
think sex.. the more foreplay the better
This is a great subject, being that the time for bringing up interviews and using these connections is "prime." (It would be nice if you gave a serious answer oasising.)
First and foremost, realize that contacts are your greatest asset- above GPA, WE, exra curriculars, and so on. When first contacting alumni, I would not bring up internship opportunities. Just reach out and seek as much information and perspective as you can get. Alumni know why you are reaching out- they have been there before.
I am a bit confused on your usage of "internship opportunities." Do you mean flat out asking to get your resume looked at by those who matter, or just inquiring about more info about internships?? I take it that you imply the former.
Try and build a relationship first. Definitely contact them on premises that deal in and out of banking (i.e. asking how Thanksgiving was, Xmas, the latest football game, common interests, as well as the latest banking news and their take on it.) Try and show lots of enthusiasm for the firm. Most of the time, if they have a say in the interview/selection process, they will mention something about it, and in such case, asking for internship opportunities is definitely appropriate. If they aren't part of the process, and you have built a good relationship with him/her, then ask if you can have the contact of an HR/Recruiter for your school. I'm sure that they'll be more than happy to give you the info, pass along a great word, or even forward your resume.
Any advice on this networking effort? (Originally Posted: 06/17/2010)
Hey Ppl
Here's my situation.
Last year, I managed to pull off one contact from CorpFin in a BB during its recruiting session. The guy seems interested & eager to talk to me. Even offered his biz card for exchange. I rarely see this kind of attitude with other bankers I networked with in a similar event. When I applied for an IBD SA in his bank, I mentioned about meeting him in my cover letter. Was invited for interview up but failed in the 2nd round :(
Sad thing is: I haven't had to chance to stay in touch with him since the recruiting event. I wanna touch base with this person. May be get his advices or leverage on his network to pull an FT position in IBD for next year recruitment.
Can anyone advice me how to approach him without looking too aggressive/pushy of my objective? He might have forgotten about me, but I could refresh his memory.
What do u think would be an appropriate approach and reason to start a line of contact with him out of the blue AFTER a year of silence?
Thanks in advance for the advices... Would appreciate for your constructive replies (not scolding). I understand it's silly of me not to touch base right away :(
Are you on LinkedIn? If you aren't, you should be. Friend him on there, send an email, perhaps ask if he would be willing to talk to you about careers in investment banking.
You should've contacted him before your interview to ask for advice on how to get that right. Definitely touch base with him, mention that you applied to his firm but didn't get the summer job and will be applying for a full time, if he could give you any advice on that etc. If you're applying for a different group ask if he could refer you to someone in that group.
Networking Help - Best course of action? (Originally Posted: 10/25/2010)
So I'm at an awards dinner for the athletic dept of my school (top 50 UG business-type). An alum who was also a co/guest professor (came in every couple weeks to teach) in a trading class last fall was there as well. I happened to do real well in the class and stayed in touch ever since. We start talking and he asks if I'm still interested in trading, to which I say hell yeah. He says "Damn, it's a shame you can't leave school now, I need someone in the next month or so. Make sure you send me your resume, we'll have opportunities down the road". So I sent my resume the next day and haven't heard a word since, been about a month now. What's the best course of action at this point? Thanks for the advice.
Call him to check in and say you want to let him know you are still very interested in potentially joining his firm when you graduate in case something opens up.. Or just send that in an email
Networking Advice - Talking to a past finance professor (Originally Posted: 05/25/2011)
I've recently been talking to a past finance professor of mine, and I know he has several contacts in IB. How should I go about asking to get in touch with his contacts with the hopes of trying to secure some interviews this fall without seeming to pushy?
Professors are a great place to start: they know a TON of people, and their departments are often a networking nexus, even if unoffically so. Be mindful that academia is extremely political and be on your best behavior: decades down the road, they may refer other job seekers to you, just to give an idea of how established some networks are. I've done the following with great success:
No one likes a golddiger, but a friend will always help. Good luck.
Advice on networking (Originally Posted: 01/02/2012)
Hey,
I am currently a senior at non-target and recruiting has been pretty rough for me. I started to network with alums during the summer and it only lead to one superday and no offer. Lately i've been thinking about delaying graduation and going in as a summer analyst. I was wondering how should I go about emailing them? Should I tell them that the recruiting season has been rough for me and that I am thinking about delaying graduation and going in as a summer analyst and what advise they should share with me?
How would you go about it if you were in my position?
Thanks so much.
Advice*
Both instances.
Look at a post yesterday...someone asked similar question
Could you post me to the thread? There are quite a few threads about networking not sure which one is the correct one..
If you go to a non-target, maybe you should graduate on time and look into applying to a master's program next year. New network and OCR, and you can still do an SA with a lot of the programs. Sure, you'd have to stay for an extra half year, but it might be worth it
Same position. I'll share what I did, hopefully it helps; otherwise it might just be an amusing story of failure.
Networked hard coming out of my internship, having spent the summer on the buy-side at a small PE shop I didn't have the option to return as a FT hire and needed to build up contacts in IB.
Things looked good in August, but as we got rolling I got fewer and fewer return calls and blahblahblah FUCKED!
I had to decide whether I was actually retarded and couldn't make it in IB...
Decided I wasn't retarded and realized I needed a plan so I called a shitload of people to talk about the next step
Decided that an MSF program would give me the solid branding and a better Alumni network of a target school which I deduced (after deciding whether I was retarded or not) was something that would really help. Not sure if the MSF route is for everyone, but I decided it was really the missing puzzle piece b/c on paper I look pretty good.. minus the target school.
I'm currently 'positioning' myself for off-cycle internships and hoping I get into the schools that I want. Basically saying that I will be attending an MSF and I want the opportunity to intern before beginning the program at XYZ schools.
Hopefully it works.
Need Networking Help (Originally Posted: 01/12/2012)
So I got my GPA up to 3.9 after my first semester (technically the equivalent of being a second-year student in the US because I'm from Montreal, but I guess that's not really important). Now my finance friends are all telling me networking is as important as anything else to find internships. First of all (just curious), how competitive is the industry at large nowadays for prospective interns/employees?
And back to the main question.. how exactly do I go about networking? Let's say I meet some VP or senior manager, what do I tell him/her to hopefully land a job? Mind you, should I even go out of my way to attend random networking events within the next few weeks, or do you think it'd be wiser to just cold call banks and rely on my CV and cover letter? I'd appreciate any personal advice or helpful links
Thanks a lot
The short answer is do all of those things you just mentioned, and keep thinking of more ways to reach out to people. That said, don't ask for a job. Nobody is going to just hook you up on first impressions, however well you came off. Maintain a dialogue with your contacts, ask them specific questions about their firm, etc.. Your interest in a job will be naturally apparent. Half the time, your contact will initiate the job discussion by offering to accept your resume, or even just by asking you if you're planning on applying.
Make an organized Excel sheet with all your contacts: first connections, second, and third. Utilize linkedin. Capital IQ and Bloomberg searches.
Key to networking is talking to anyone and everyone. When I realized that I wanted to get into investment banking...I started talking to anyone who I was even remotely connected to who was in investment banking. I'm talking friends of friends, friends of professors, anyone.
1)Sit down and think about which of your friends have parents in finance, do the same for your parents friends, etc and just start writing names down. E-mail those people for informational interviews.
2)If you go to a target or semi...you most likely have a really great alumni directory. Find a friend or someone who graduated recently and get their login to the alumni directory...search for people in IB/PE/HF/AM and send them emails asking for informational interviews...the alumni connection helps out a lot
3)When I would get an interview with a bank or saw a bank post something on OCR...I would go on linkedin (only works if you have a good amount of connections) and in the search box, search companies and type in the bank I was interviewing/wanted to interview with to see who in my network knew people at that bank. I would then ask them to connect me, ask for an informational interview, and then utilize that relationship when interviews started.
Really you need to spend 80% of your time on recruiting on networking...it is more important than grades, your technical knowledge, and your background.
Go get em. Don't give up. Hope this helps
Thank you very much. That was extremely helpful advice. 80% seems steep though haha
How to follow up with this networking opportunity? (Originally Posted: 01/18/2012)
Recently spoke to an alumnus at a MM bank and he sounded really nice and willing to help - he spoke with me briefly on the phone and asked for a resume and offered to chat again soon. How can I follow up on this in a way that could lead to an interview? This probably sounds like a dumb question but I really don't want to mess this up as its a great opportunity. Thanks.
If you are within a reasonable distance of him ask him if he wouldn't mind grabbing lunch one day to discuss how he broke into the industry/what's working for X like/etc. If you're an aspie mother fucker with no social skills stick to e-mail. Good luck.
In person>phone>e-mail in this situation
If you can't get a meeting then get him on the phone. If you can't get him on the phone then just e-mail him and hide under a rock while you cross your fingers.
You could also try and use this contact (who has stated that he's willing to help you) to meet all of the people in his rolodex who are at other banks.
I am willing to bet that this alumnus doesn't have any jobs open in his group, or else he would have offered to let you interview for it, so he's doing the next best thing and helping you network.
Networking Advice - Any advice (Originally Posted: 02/07/2012)
If I have already met with a person from the same group, and am now trying to reach out to a more senior guy in that group, should I mention that I have talked to the other person in the email?
My thinking: if I mentioned the other guy, he might just say oh well then just talk to him instead and don't waste my time. But if don't mention it, he might find out anyway, and the other guy I talked to might get pissed off.
Any advice is welcome!
play on his ego; dont mention the junior guy but rather emphasize that u've been looking for someone higher up to talk to. gives him no reason to actually bring this up with anyone else and theres probably little chance of him bringing it up with the person u already contacted. if u ever see them together, the junior guy will just be surprised that u know someone more senior, but u can bs out of that by telling him later that you didnt feel like bothering him about it and with the senior guy u can tell him that the junior wouldnt have been as good of a source so thats why u went up the food chain.
Yes always, the more people you know the better
Quick networking help (Originally Posted: 02/19/2012)
The other day my friend logged me into her school's career website.
I noticed a post from a financial advisor looking for a summer intern for his group (BB). I took down his contact from the page and hope to email him soon. Problem is, I do not attend the school he posted the job on, I go to a non target. I do have contact with a Sr.VP at the bank and I believe he works closely with that group
Would it be appropriate if I emailed the Sr. VP regarding his colleague's internship and how I am interested in applying, before I send over my resume to his co-worker?
Yes.
Go for it, your other option is doing nothing at all. Knowing someone can put you ahead.
"Nothing happens until you do something"
This shouldn't even be a question.
The answer is a resounding yes.
Alright cool. I just wasn't sure how to approach him about the subject. I felt like I would have to explain the whole situation to him and I wanted to keep the email brief though.
But thanks guys.
Networking related questions -- Advice appreciated (Originally Posted: 02/25/2012)
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Stop planning and just do some shit is the best advice I can give you
Call, don't be afraid of telling someone on the phone how awesome you are and why they should hire you.. emails go 'unresponded'
MM/boutiques aren't easier to get into.. actually its probably the opposite they ask more technicals and care waaaayyy more about fit so targeting them for the 'easier' route is stupid mindset... I'd target a MM/boutique firm b/c they might be easier to get on the phone
Your background is unimpressive, do something to fix it! Yesterday!
No one gives a fuck about your motivation/passion when they see non-target and that you basically do nothing except want to earn a huge paycheck without paying your dues.
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I re-read my post and think I sounded like a douchebag, but I came from a non-target as well and while some people are well-connected even though they go to a target, I wasn't so fortunate and either are you. Just go hard for whatever it is.. I spent interned last summer in PE and went through banking recruiting this year with no offers wtf.. now I'm going to be a long-term intern w/ another PE fund; its not what I wanted, but I needed something. Don't be afraid of getting desperate, just don't appear that way.
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Unless you're at a target PE/HF game will be a hit or miss type of thing, I actually ended up as an intern at a fund b/c I networked with the managing partner at first just for a few introductions with bankers. Fast-forward a few months and I only had a few crappy offers for mid/back-office roles and I said 'what the hell' and asked him if I'd ever be able to intern for his fund. He thought about it for a few weeks and then got back to me and basically told him that he liked me, but it was up to his team if they'd have me or not. I interviewed w/ another partner, VP, and Associate which were some of the most technical interviews I've had (I think it was technical b/c its a small shop [they want someone at least competent enough not to be a burden], it's PE and not just IB, and they can be picky as they only bring on 1 intern a season).
To your question about interning in PE I was used heavily in the modeling process for deals that they normally wouldn't put together a model for b/c well.. I was there and why not. That being said I brought in a considerable amount of Excel knowledge and coupled with my accounting/finance dual background was able to put together/project a basic income statement for a deal in my first three days. Up till this point I had been doing 'research' and diligence on certain items and markups, but nothing more meaningful and this served as a bit of a litmus test I think. After that they figured out that I could do some basic modeling w/out asking a million questions and could work fairly quickly in Excel I got more and more projects and was actually allowed to work on models for deals that they were really interested in pursuing, not just the 'let see what it looks like' ones.
While my experience was awesome, I also know some other guys that interned in PE that did almost no modeling or really any meaningful work, but I think outside of the funds with formal intern programs (megafunds) that you probably won't have access to it will be hit or miss. I think if you're included in the interview process for any PE fund try and tease out what kind of stuff you'll be doing or allowed to do.
With recruiting I think I got a lot of second looks even though I'm from a non-target given the fact that I had transactions experience on there and could walk through my deals/knew financials/story etc. well. So even though its not IB, it's complementary and worth pursuing even more so than a back-office job. You'll still have to network if you do end up interning in PE, but pursuing SA positions for IB / PE and maybe the HF space will give you more options.
I am going to keep plugging. I am determined to land something. Even if I have to call/email every single MM/Boutique/BB/PE/HF and offer free work.
The only problem with offering free work is they think you will just quit on them because many people would not work those hours free... Some though would love even that opportunity knowing they will be working damn hard to make the most of it.
Networking advice - how to proceed? (Originally Posted: 08/29/2012)
WSO, I am looking for your advice on how to proceed with cold-emailing an alum at a BB.
While recently searching for alumni in IBD, I stumbled upon the LinkedIn profile of an individual at a BB who graduated from my uni and (according to his profile) participated in the same university club/team that I am currently a member of. I would love to be able to contact this individual, but have not been able to find any info on what industry/product group they are part of (tried a lot of different searches). The thing is, I don't want to send an email asking to learn/speak about M&A or IBD if this person is actually in ER/derivatives/S&T, etc...I feel like this would make me look foolish and disrespectful.
So how do I proceed? Do I contact the person anyway just asking to talk about general banking?
I've considered even possibly calling the BB and asking what group this person works in. What do you guys thinks?
Really appreciate your advice - networking will likely be my only/best avenue into a bank do I'd love to get input on this issue.
Do you have any close friends who work at that BB? Ask them to check out the directory to find out which department that guy works in.
No friends or contacts at the BB, this individual is actually the only alumni I could find at the particular bank, thus my eagerness to make use of the contact.
Do you think it sounds arrogant to email asking about investment banking when I have no working knowledge of the person's specialty? I would have no way of preparing for an informational (i.e. recent transactions, industry specific questions).
i think you can also look at "viewers of this profile ha also viewed..." and see what division those people are in, might give you an idea. If not, just email him and say you want to ask about his career. When he emails back, it should say what he's in in the signature.
Is your school close by where he works? One angle is to tell him that you are in the club he used to be in and mention you are looking for alumni to come speak at the club to share their experiences. Then you can ask him what he does. He will probably be flattered and say no, but at least you will have made some connection with him and he might be more willing to help you out.
Need advice on networking (Originally Posted: 12/09/2012)
My teacher introduced his friend who is a VP in BB to me. I sent networking email asking for a talk, He replied with asking my thought on the role. I answered his question and got no response. What can I do to follow up?
send another email; just saying. I was just curious if you had anytime to took a look at my last note. Something along those lines, they are very busy and sometimes emails get lost with the other thousand they receive each day
^ wouldn't do that. Depending on how long it is since you sent the email (if less than about 10 days I would just wait) but otherwise I would just shoot him an email saying you were still very interested in the position and hoping he could speak with you when he has a chance.
Networking Advice - Next Door Neighbors (Originally Posted: 12/31/2012)
Dear all,
Thank you for taking the time to read my post. So I will get straight to the point. I am next door neighbors (to be precise, I live in the building just across) with a top level executive (think "heir apparent") at a major PE firm. Every once in a while, I see this person on the weekends as he comes in or out of his home.
Now, if I were to reach out to this person by email, it is highly unlikely I would ever receive a response (at best, perhaps his secretary would send me a polite reply on his behalf) as he is too high up. On the other hand, if I were to have a "chance" encounter with him on the street and a brief chat, there is nothing that says it could not lead to something more.
Its a long shot, but if I were to attempt this, I am only going to have one shot to make a good impression/impress, so I need to make it count. Any advice or words of wisdom that the Wall Street Oasis community could provide me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Deo et Patriae
P.S. Additional point, this executive is an alumnus of my school.
Briefly about me: Currently working in IBD at a bulge bracket. I am still relatively junior, but have sufficient experience that a lateral move would make sense. Long-term, I am interested in moving to the buy side.
Go up to him and say "Hey, my name is ___. I've been following your firm and the transactions you're making at PE firm ____. How is that coming along (add something about finance to let him know you're in finance)?" Its like talking to a girl. Don't be scared. If you don't say anything, you'll have ZERO chance of a good network. And I am sure you'll see him again. And he will remember who you are.
Do it. All upside, no downside.
Like was said above, only upside no downside to this. Let us know how it goes, and best of luck.
Help! My Personal Networking / Informal Questions (Originally Posted: 03/22/2013)
Hi everyone,
This is my first post and wasn't exactly sure where to throw this post. I am currently a sophomore undergrad at a non-target where I have been accepted early into the undergrad B-school, and will be spending my summer in Brazil and then an academic year in London.
That being said, I have practically no experience except that I manage my own portfolio with the help of a close family friend who used to be the CEO of Emerging Markets for a BB. I have started making a serious effort to get myself prepared for what I plan on making my livelihood off of. I ideally would like to get into IBanking for a bit and then do my MBA and probably switch to either PE or HF's.
As part of my new found spirit, I started going through a few hundred companies with IBanking divisions and was able to find one who attended my school for an MBA. I sent him a cold e-mail, and he said that he would be happy to talk to me and answer some questions that I have this coming week. The problem comes in now; I don't really know what to ask him! I had made a mental list of questions, but can't remember them and I don't want to look like an idiot when I talk to him. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I could ask him that would present myself in a positive light?
These are just a few I was considering: • What made you decide to attend our school for your MBA? • How did you get to where you are now? (He is a Managing Director for his firm) • What do you think would be the best ways I could prepare myself to enter the field, given that our school is not a target even though it is steadily rising in the ranks?
I know that some of these questions have been somewhat answered on WSO already, but I am doing this more as a networking call than anything else and would like to be able to come back to this guy in a few months and say, "I did what you recommended and I feel far more prepared, now what are the next steps and do you have anyone you could possibly put me in contact with?"
Try and be casual while still maintaining professionalism during the conversation. What I mean is do ask educated questions, but if a non-banking topic comes up, feel free to converse about it - it will help establish the connection.
I'd say to start by briefly introducing yourself, and end it with a reason why you wanted to speak to him, i.e. "And so at this point, given my interest in banking, I was hoping to talk to you to understand the industry a little better and hear any advice you may have for me." Then, ask him to briefly introduce himself too if he doesn't do it on his own. After that, you want to ask questions based off what he told you about your story (this will require you to think of questions quickly, but the more you network the easier this becomes). Questions like "What made you want to get into ________ at first?" or "How come you made the transition from ____ to _____?" are some good go-to ones. This should last a good 10-15 minutes. Then, ask a couple of questions that you've prepared in advance that you really want answers to, like the ones you mentioned in your post. At the end, thank him for his time (obviously) and mention that you'll keep in touch.
Overall, don't worry about the call. After all, it's not an interview - you're just casually picking up the phone and chatting with another human. On a side note, I'd suggest that you leverage the sh!t out of the close family friend who previously ran the Emerging Markets group at the BB. I'm sure he can help you with recruiting.
Hey, a late update. The guy was super nice and cool on the phone and told me to add him on LinkedIn so we could keep connected in the future. Turns out he has deleted my connection requests three times (first time I thought maybe he just messed up, second I was trying again, third was to assure myself he was a dick). Don't really know what else to say but you win some, you lose some! I'll keep trying though :)
@Trollon5th
Thanks for the ideas. I will definitely put that into play when I call him this week.
He will definitely help me, but I have to prove that I have the basic understanding and knowledge before I think it would be fair to forwardly ask him for help with recruitment in the future.
Thanks again!
edit, i thought this was about general tips
Networking Advice - Junior econ major at a target (Originally Posted: 04/03/2013)
Hey all, I'm a junior econ major at a target (i guess?) in NYC. Decided really late I wanted to get into finance (won't bore you with the ~story~ unless you want to hear it), so I'm WAY behind the curve to say the least.
I've been doing some networking, and next week I'm having coffee with a good friend of my uncle's who's a MD at a BB.
Obviously it's too late to pull anything amazing off for this summer, so I'm really just aiming to make a good impression, find a way to keep in contact with him, and get some advice about how to best position myself for my senior year.
Any advice you guys have is much appreciated - for next week, and also for long term.
Ask him about himself. After the introduction etc., just ask him a lot about his career path/interests without seeming stalkerish. And if he goes off on a tangent about boats or whatever, let him. The conversation will come back around eventually.
This guy is your uncle's friend. Unless your uncle trash talks you behind your back, this MD already has a reason to help you: your uncle. I would not worry, but you still need to make a good impression.
In my networking experience, MDs love talking about themselves and how awesome they are. Try to find some deals this guy's group has been working on and ask him about them. Most important, ask for his advice. After he gives you some, use it and report back. At the end of your coffee meeting, ask if he would be willing to refer you to anyone else at this BB or anyone that might be willing to give you some time.
This is gold. Follow it to a T
Actually this will be pretty important when explaining your situation to people who you aren't related to or already connected with in some way.
But I do want to hear it.
PM'd you.
Thanks so much, everyone!
Will def keep this in mind, and do some research this weekend, as well.
Need Advice - Networking (Originally Posted: 04/17/2013)
Hey
Read this post
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/the-single-biggest-failure-in-you…
Think of it as a giant thread of what to do/not to do.
Well it looks like most the comments on that thread involve choosing a non-target over a target..... Sooooo it looks as though I'm screwed
I would start talking to bankers in Chicago that went to your school, since you are in that part of the country. Start networking now. Start setting up phone calls and drive in to get coffee. Coming from a fellow non target, that's the best way you can improve your chances at a non target. PM me if you have any specific questions.
Fantastic; that is what I was thinking about doing. In general how receptive are alumni to having some college kid contact them?
Depends on the school and the person. Coffee chats and phone calls are a pretty understood part of the IB recruiting process. Just don't be excessive or overly forward. Treat them like a person, not just a conduit to getting a job.
Little advice for networking... (Originally Posted: 04/24/2013)
Hey guys and gals. First post here, so pardon me if this isn't in the correct forum arena. Anyways....
I'm a sophomore bio major (3.6) gpa from a non-target and became interested in i-banking after taking an econ class and learning about the financial industry. Fast forward to now, i recently came on contact with a college alumni who i spoke to about the industry and he gave me some insight/advice...like "doesn't matter what you major in...gotta have a good gpa, leadership, work ethic, etc".
However, it's been about 3 weeks since him and i have spoke. I'm curious- how do I keep the contact strong? For next years summer 2014 recruiting, does knowing him and have established that relationship better my chances of landing an internship? I guess i don't wanna come off as an annoying wanna-be banker to my new and only i-banking contact.
Also, as a side any advice on what I can do to better my financial skills that i can put on a résumé? (Accounting self study books, financial modeling self study...etc)
Also, i am specially looking to work in boutique and middle market smaller firms..not really looking for BB (unless my chances are stronger)
Email him saying that you'd like to stay in touch.
I tried giving him a call a week ago. I called and left a voicemail saying that i wanted to ask if he could give me any quick advice on what Would be beneficial to do in the summer for next years recruiting....didnt hear anything back (i don't wanna bother him. He's an analyst)
Probably wasn't a good idea calling him but do send an e-mail expressing your desire to reconnect and see how things work from there
Gotcha. I just wasn't sure since he gave me his cell number to make things more convienant since he gets 100s of emails a day
Networking Help - Currently working part time (Originally Posted: 06/27/2013)
First of all, don't judge this post by the title. I'm not socially retarded and contribute all of my most recent successes to my networking capabilities as opposed to high grades, which I do not have. Where I run into trouble is with this 1 particular case and would appreciate any and all advice.
The story is this - about a year ago (maybe more) I met the managing director of institutional equity trading at a local firm through my job at the time and he ended up giving me his business card. Made the mistake of not following up with him. I am currently working part time and would like to approach him for an unpaid position for the rest of my downtime, but I'm not too sure how to go about doing that without looking like a total dickhead because he clearly won't remember me.
Thanks to all for any solid advice and fuck the rest of you who just tell me that I should have followed up and now I'm screwed 'cause that's kinda what I'm thinking to begin with.......
Does GW have blow all over his face in your pic?
He may remember, never know.
I would send over a short email. Quickly reminding him how you met, give an update on your status and that you would like to talk with him when available.
I'll give it a shot. But this guy is also distantly involved in another side venture that I'm involved in so I don't want it to be a conflict of interest in any way. My goal is to meet him and get to know him on a professional level first and then approach kind of the "job shadowing" aspect of it I guess you could say, so I'm trying to figure out the best way to initiate a way for him to first take an interest in me and then I'll be golden from there. Thanks for the responses.
Yes. This painting was done of him shortly before he led the Siege of Boston in 1775.
props on the dope GW pic
Second the above post, it can't hurt to shoot him an quick email - restate who you are, how you met, what you're now, and ask to grab coffee if he's got time. Who knows? Maybe he'll be impressed that you hung on to his contact info for so long.
Email for a 15-min coffee/chat. He won't get angry over that...Nothing to lose here.
Email networking advice (Originally Posted: 07/30/2013)
Hi. Just to preface this thread, I did search around but could not find a thread with the info I was looking for.
I'm a rising sophomore at a top 15 LAC, and we have this alumni database listing where people work, names, and emails (I'm sure like a lot of other schools do). I'm curious as to how to effectively use this tool to cold email alumni, in hopes of asking them career questions, set up informational interviews, and eventually land an internship. I know that in an introductory cold email Im going to want to introduce myself and give a little background, but im curious as to how i can open up the discussion in order to ask career questions and eventually shift the conversation towards internships.
All help is appreciated. Thanks!
Tell them who you are (i.e. rising junior at school XYZ), how you got their contact information (alumni database), why you are contacting them (i.e. to hear about their careers and any advice they may have), and what you want from them (i.e. to schedule a call within the next few weeks), then tell them that your resume is attached so they can learn more about your back ground (and then attach your resume, obviously).
Shouldn't be more than 4-5 sentences.
Keep it sweet and short. Talk about your interests/classes/clubs/frats.
yea, also, how long after reaching out to a network member does one ask "do you know any positions open?" How long does one play coy, so as to not look like a potential "user?"
So RodneyBro20=tjball?
Anyway, you clearly didn't search (enough).
You can't ask right away. Email them, talk with them on the phone/meet with them, keep in touch with them and when the time for full time recruiting comes around, ask for open positions.
Towards the end of the conversation, ask them if they have any tips for the upcoming recruiting season and interviews. If they like you and your resume, they will offer to forward it or ask that you contact them once you have submitted the application online (so that they can notify HR). If they don't offer, don't ask.
How to use this connect? - Networking (Originally Posted: 07/31/2013)
A good connection I have who was heavily involved in this extracurricular I did in high school knows a guy (associate I think) who works in BB IBD in a major southeastern city. This connection forwarded my resume to this guy back in February. He mentioned to my good connect that I seem like a good candidate. How could I go about networking with this guy? I'm currently a rising junior at a target looking to get into BB IBD next year for an internship.
I never interacted with this associate in person nor in email or phone.
I don't feel comfortable saying which extracurricular this was or which city this is in, so PM me if you want to go into specifics. Posting more general information in this forum is fine.
The only somewhat BB in the southeast would be WF in Charlotte so no need to play smoke and mirrors there.
Anyway...
1) Use these forums to find his email address ie [email protected] 2) Email him. Ask to speak on phone. 3) Network. Later, rinse, repeat.
Also, you go to a target school. Go to OCR, drop your resume off and apply online. Is this a troll or something?
More Networking Advice... (Originally Posted: 01/20/2014)
So I spoke with an alum at a mm IB back in August and got advice and what not. Really helpful guy and encouraged me to apply to his firm.
Now I applied to his firm about a month ago but am wondering if I should reach out to him to let him know that I applied. Is this an okay thing to do or should I just leave it as is?
My issue is I haven't spoken to this guy since August and I don't want it to be forced where I'm completely mooching off of this guy.
Thanks for the advice in advance.
Start reaching out to him.
If he truly was adamant and sounded like he was encouraging you to apply, I don't see why it would be an issue. He knows what you were speaking with him. Reach out to him ASAP.
Whats the worst that could happen?
Always let the person know you've applied. It can even be a casual: 'I simply wanted to let you know that I have recently applied to your firm for position X. Thank you once again for your help and I really hope to get the role!'.
If the person was keen to help, chances are he'll take note of that and will probably mention you to HR so that they would pick your CV out of the whole candidate pool.
In Need of Networking Advice (Originally Posted: 03/11/2014)
Hello All,
I am currently a MSc in Finance student at a non-target school in the UK, and will be finishing up my dissertation towards the end of July. Unfortunately, I bombed the couple of ib interviews that I had this previous fall, so I it is looking like I will still be searching employment upon graduation.
My plan is to move back to the US (US citizen) to a major financial city, which will most likely be Chicago. I plan on networking as much as possible when I arrive, but I am unsure how to go about reaching out to firms prior to my arrival. I understand that cold emailing/calling, LinkedIn, and reaching out to alumni seem to be the best options.
I am obviously going all out with this, as I cannot afford to take a trip to network prior. Is my best bet sending out as many emails as possible asking firms for informational interviews? Any information would be helpful.
Cheers!
Check this link out, it's one of my first WSO bookmarks ever. http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/one-cold-email-to-change-your-lif…
Other than that, I'd just suggest sending out those cold emails, attempt to find something in common between you two, keep on top of it and don't give up.
As I'm sure you know, be ready to explain why you bombed (multiple) IB interviews when they ask why you're not employed.
Good luck!
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