When is too early/too late to network with my group?
I signed a junior summer offer in February, but I also have a sophomore internship lined up at another bank. The kicker is that my sophomore internship office is across the street from the office where I'll be doing my junior internship. I don't want to spook my team by being too aggressive with my networking, but I also feel like I'd be wasting the opportunity to have this proximity.
My intern class is small and I have no visibility on return offers (part of the reason I think it may make sense to have these conversations). I also recruited directly into a group at large, but there are sub-verticals that I will be rotating within. As a result, I'm not worried about group placement in a traditional sense, but I do have a smaller version of it.
At a minimum, I know I want to catch up to the handful of people I chatted with over the course of recruiting, but I'm not really sure how to approach it beyond that. Thanks for your help and hope everyone is enjoying the warmer weather!
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here's how you can approach this situation:
Timing Your Networking: It's never too early to start networking, but the key is to be strategic and not overly aggressive. Since you already have a junior summer offer and a sophomore internship lined up, you can use your proximity to the junior internship office to your advantage. Start by reaching out to the handful of people you connected with during recruiting. This can be as simple as grabbing coffee or having casual conversations to maintain those relationships.
Balancing Proximity and Discretion: While being across the street is a great opportunity, you don’t want to appear too eager or raise concerns about your commitment to your current internship. Keep your networking low-key and professional. For example, you can frame your outreach as wanting to learn more about the sub-verticals you'll be rotating within or seeking advice on how to best prepare for your junior internship.
Focus on Quality Over Quantity: Instead of trying to network with everyone, prioritize building deeper connections with a few key individuals. This aligns with advice from WSO threads that emphasize the importance of quality contacts over mass outreach. Aim to connect with 1-2 bankers per sub-vertical you’re interested in.
Leverage Your Sophomore Internship: Use your current internship as a conversation starter. Share what you’re learning and ask for insights on how it might relate to your future role. This shows genuine interest and helps you stand out without coming across as overly aggressive.
Avoid Overstepping: Be mindful not to ask about sensitive topics like return offer rates or workload during these conversations. As highlighted in WSO discussions, such questions can come off as presumptuous, especially when you're still in the early stages of your relationship with the team.
Timing for Follow-Ups: Periodically check in with your contacts throughout the summer, but don’t overdo it. A few well-timed updates or questions about their work can keep you on their radar without being intrusive.
By taking a calculated and professional approach, you can make the most of your proximity while maintaining a strong impression with your future team. Good luck!
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what do you have to lose by engaging with junior summer team while at sophomore summer office? it's not like sophomore summer team is going to give you a full time offer, at best they give you internship return (which you'd have to renege current junior summer offer)...
I would just shoot junior summer team an email that you'll be around this summer and would love to informally catch up over coffee or dinner (anything outside work hours)
No, I definitely want to engage with them, you're right. It's more of a question of when and how heavily. I feel like if I reach out to folks on the team (especially people who are senior) way too early, I feel like I'll come across as overzealous and too much of a try-hard. If there's a natural timeline to this sort of thing, I'm not sure what it is.
You’re thinking too hard about it. You’ve got a valid reason to hang out, just ask some folks if they wanna grab lunch whenever they’re free. Regardless this wont move the needle too much in either direction, but could help you get some better staffing if you come off as genuine and capable. Being eager is fine but excessive glaze is always uncomfortable.
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