I just wanted to get a good sense of what the people that are receiving the cold e-mails are thinking. Do most of you think that this is another kid looking to get a job or a kid that is genuinely looking for advice.
Considerations for writing an email to alumni
Alumni are some of the best people to reach out to while job/internship hunting. They can help you land interviews and introduce you to new contacts.
Always approach them respectfully. Write a short, honest, and humble note. This shows two things, that you respect their time and that you are direct. If an alumnus is able to help you be responsive and keep in touch with them. This will show your thankfulness for their help.
from certified user @TNA"
I have received (when I was working) and sent while in school and when I used to get hit up with emails I was always happy to help and speak to them. As long as the email was polite.
I tend to think that those people who have gotten jobs through emailing and networking are a little more responsive than others. Only a few times have I helped someone and had a less than great experience.
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I have received (when I was working) and sent while in school and when I used to get hit up with emails I was always happy to help and speak to them. As long as the email was polite. I tend to think that those people who have gotten jobs through emailing and networking are a little more responsive than others. Only a few times have I helped someone and had a less than great experience.
Thanks for the reply. So you received impolite e-mails? im curious as to the content of these e-mails.
Not so much impolite emails, but I have helped people and then had them not follow up or basically blow me off (rare occasion, but it has happened). Still doesn't stop me from helping people, just part of the game. Most of the time I have had positive experiences.
Most people are very helpful, but don't feel bad if you never hear back from them. Just keep in mind that they're busy and can't attend to everyone. They do know what you're trying to do. It's no secret, and you're not the only one doing it. But then again, they understand it is part of the networking game, so you'll find that many will be willing to lend a hand. Also, you actually want advice anyway. Even if they can't exactly pull you through to the job, the least you'll walk out with is advice and hopefully other contacts they refer you to.
Ive had tremendous feedback from alums and many of them I still talk to after a few years on the job (getting drinks, dinner, coffee) and some I even work with ... so networking is the name of the game.
Whenever kids email me, I am very eager to help but I did have some impolite / retarded kids who obviously only wanted a job ... and some blew me off
one kid blew me off for a call adn then i saw his resume in a drop and i dinged him
Do you think its wrong to be upfront about looking for a job? I have started cold emailing and well its pretty much the recruiting time for boutiques so I dont have time to build up a relationship.
Do you think its wrong to be upfront about looking for a job? I have started cold emailing and well its pretty much the recruiting time for boutiques so I dont have time to build up a relationship.
Any further comments on being upfront about asking for a job? I've always thought you could say something like "What can I do to position myself for a full-time/first-year analyst at a IB?"
if you have failed to keep up contact with someone you conducted an informational interview with, is there anyway to revive the conversation/relationship? or should you just not bother?
Cold e-mailing an alumnus regarding a specific job posting (Originally Posted: 11/30/2015)
Doesn't hurt to contact both, but you need to establish rapport before you can ask someone to go to bat for you. Email your contact with the notion that you want to meet and learn a bit more about what they do, their background, etc. At the end of the phone call, you can mention your situation, and if you haven't completely screwed up, they should be willing to help out
Definitely focus on establishing a relationship first. Don't ask for anything before they know you. Regarding the cold email, you're definitely off to a good start given the fact that both of those people are alumni, since this can easily give you a good talking point. But make sure that you hold a good conversation with both before you ask for any sort of referral, so that they know what kind of person they're introducing to other people. In terms of the email itself, keep it concise. Just introduce yourself as a student of their alma mater who's interested in their firm and ask if they're free for a brief phone call. Maybe tailor your message based on something you can relate to regarding their past experience or something else on their LinkedIn profile.
Thank for the advice guys, much appreciated
Even though I went to a target, cold emailing helped me get my first IB job and my first buyside job. So I'm always happy to help current students who reach out to me (whether or not they went to my school), and take 30-60 minutes of my day to talk to them on the phone or meet for coffee.
That said, my enthusiasm level depends on the tone of the email. I like short, casual notes that really convey honesty and humility, but I don't like being placated. In other words, don't write to me like I'm the President, don't try and pretend you know anything about finance or banking, and don't try to suck me off.
My Experience with Cold Emailing Alumni (Originally Posted: 04/25/2013)
Hey everyone, just wanted to update you tell everyone about my experiences with cold emailing alumni.
A bit of background first. I am a sophomore at a small liberal arts college ranked in the top 10 on US News. I went through the alumni network and made an excel spreadsheet with name, grad year, contact info, company, position, and location. I'm pretty much just going down the spreadsheet and emailing the people I want to hit up first. I started off with a list of just over 60 people and am going to see how it goes from there (I know this is probably really basic and/or obvious but this was my process).
I did not attach a resume or anything else. I pretty much asked for advice and if the alums would be willing to talk to me and if they knew of any internships in the fall.
I sent out 18 emails to alums yesterday afternoon and here are the results less than 24 hours later: -2 invalid email addresses (I guess they don't work at the firms listed anymore) -1 person saying they no longer work in finance and have not in a long time. They unfortunately did not have any contacts to pass my info to. (Merrill) -3 responses saying they would love to talk to me. All of them gave me their phone numbers and I am calling one of them today. One of the alums said they would love to meet with me for lunch if possible, and two of the three outright said they are willing to connect me with the right people for fall internship opportunities. (Credit Suisse, Merrill, and Jefferies. 2 VP's and an analyst or associate).
Basically what I'm getting at is that so far, emailing alums seems to work well. I do not know if this is due to my school being more tightly knit than usual or what, but 4/15 responses, with 3 of them netting positive responses so far seems pretty good. As this is my first time doing any sort of cold emailing it was reassuring to see this type of feedback.
Congratulations. Best of luck finding something for the fall.
Sounds about right in terms of response rate. You'll probably get 1-2 more responses today or next week especially if any of their emails were personal emails that they may only check sparingly.
Sounds about right. Good job, and keep at it. This will eventually lead to something positive.
That's agrees with my experience as well. I put my hit rate ~50% for alums.
Thanks for the words of encouragement guys! I got another response earlier today from an MD at JP Morgan, so I'm at 5/15 now.
sounds about right im at about 50% hit rate as well. ive just been asking for advice and most have been really receptive, ive yet to have anybody grill me or criticize my background.
One thing that i didnt expect is how much i actually enjoy these phone calls. Reality is most are going to be dead ends, but its a numbers game and you never know what somebody has to offer. The people i have talked to have genuinely been interesting and hearing their "elevator pitch" really helps you develop yours. I asked one guy about his background and I still remember how good it was. it was just a shining example of what a story should sound like, so intersting, so polished, hits on everything, really sets the tone for the rest of the call. If you can get your pitch up to that level you can really set the tone for your interview/call/meeting/whatever
need help with cold emailing alumni (Originally Posted: 04/05/2012)
There is an alumni who works at a top bank at the moment but interned at a healthcare focused boutique last year. Since the boutique doesn't do formal recruiting for interns I figured I would email her and ask how she got the internship, and maybe set up some sort of meeting?
Then using her as a referral or help i could more easily contact an MD or VP at the boutique to set up an interview.
Whats the best way to go about emailing the alumni (format etc.)
Any help would be appreciated i'm pretty new at this!
Thanks
bump
Just send her a brief email and introduce yourself as a fellow alum. Say you noticed that she is interned at that firm and you were wondering if she had any suggestions or recommendations on how to position yourself for a possible internship. Build some rapport and maybe even get a referral. Be professional this time lol
Historically, this has worked pretty well for people on WSO.
Hey First Name, I've attached my resume and cover letter below.
Cheers, [My Name]
LOL bean
Cold E-mailing Alumni (Originally Posted: 06/20/2010)
For alumni that aren’t in my school’s alumni directory, or aren’t a part of my school’s group on LinkedIn (where I can send them a message without having to pay), would it be weird if I contacted them by just figuring out their e-mail address from their firm’s standard e-mail convention? And if I do this, how should I go about explaining how I came across their address? Or will most people just not care?
Thanks.
do it. they wont give a shit
Do it. If they don't want to respond, they won't.
People generally appreciate the effort you put in. Look at it like this. If the persons email isn't out there and easy to find the chances are you will be the only one messaging him.
go for it. it shows initiative. like the guys say above, if they don't respond, it's no harm to you.
Cold Email to an alum prior to an interview (Originally Posted: 01/31/2014)
I have an interview coming up that I got just through applying over the internet. The interview is for ER associate position, and the person I am thinking about contacting is an alum (about 10 years older than me) who works in Equity Derivatives Sales. There is some overlap there, I am sure he at least knows who is making the hiring decision.
Would it be too bold to reach out that alum, who I don't know, and introduce myself and let them know I am interested in the position? Curious what some of the board's thoughts are on this. I figure as long as I do it professionally it shouldn't be an issue, but at the same time I don't want to shoot myself in the foot before the proces starts.
Instead of 'letting them know you're interested in the position' (which you obviously are as you applied), try asking him some questions about the company culture to answer the 'why this firm' question in the interview
Ya. This is fine. I've emailed people being like 'hey I saw your company posted a job listing. could get on the phoen to hear more about your experiences?' you already have an interview; i don't see why this is an issue at all.
What level of alumni is appropriate to cold e-mail for networking purposes? (Originally Posted: 10/28/2014)
. Basically, I just want to know how appropriate, or even useful it would be to be trying to get in touch with partners, MDs, VPs etc. at the firms I'm looking at (this is for Summer intern/analyst positions).
Is there a cutoff? Additional etiquette considerations? Should I even bother with anything above the associate/analyst type level?
I would personally cover everything you can get your hands on. I just finished FT recruiting a month ago. Associates were typically most helpful (as they were often in charge of individual group's process), VP ~ MD: best way to set up an interview. Analysts: to obtain information relevant to prep your interview (also name dropping multiple analysts that you've talked to makes more sense during the interview)
I would personally cover everything you can get your hands on. I just finished FT recruiting a month ago. Associates were typically most helpful (as they were often in charge of individual group's process), VP ~ MD: best way to set up an interview. Analysts: to obtain information relevant to prep your interview (also name dropping multiple analysts that you've talked to makes more sense during the interview)
I would personally cover everything you can get your hands on. I just finished FT recruiting a month ago. Associates were typically most helpful (as they were often in charge of individual group's process), VP ~ MD: best way to set up an interview. Analysts: to obtain information relevant to prep your interview (also name dropping multiple analysts that you've talked to makes more sense during the interview)
I would personally cover everything you can get your hands on. I just finished FT recruiting a month ago. Associates were typically most helpful (as they were often in charge of individual group's process), VP ~ MD: best way to set up an interview. Analysts: to obtain information relevant to prep your interview (also name dropping multiple analysts that you've talked to makes more sense during the interview)
I would personally cover everything you can get your hands on. I just finished FT recruiting a month ago. Associates were typically most helpful (as they were often in charge of individual group's process), VP ~ MD: best way to set up an interview. Analysts: to obtain information relevant to prep your interview (also name dropping multiple analysts that you've talked to makes more sense during the interview)
I would personally cover everything you can get your hands on. I just finished FT recruiting a month ago. Associates were typically most helpful (as they were often in charge of individual group's process), VP ~ MD: best way to set up an interview. Analysts: to obtain information relevant to prep your interview (also name dropping multiple analysts that you've talked to makes more sense during the interview)
ok, my computer just froze and posted multiple comments at the same time... how do i erase these...
How high up the hierarchy can I try to cold e-mail/cold contact alumni? What's generally appropriate and what's not? (Originally Posted: 10/28/2014)
. Basically, I just want to know how appropriate, or even useful it would be to be trying to get in touch with partners, MDs, VPs etc. at the firms I'm looking at (this is for Summer intern/analyst positions).
Is there a cutoff? Additional etiquette considerations? Should I even bother with anything above the associate/analyst type level?
In case you are connecting to your alumni for summer internships/ permanent roles, I would suggest you to cold call partners/ MD's & VP's for getting an interview and consult employees in junior positions about the interview process & preparation.
Most MD's generally don't end up replying due to their busy schedule (your mail generally ends up in their spam folder, they receive tens of them everyday), hence your best bet would be No.2 and 3 (VP's are generally in the middle of the hierarchy and tend to be helpful). Most Analysts hardly have any say in the recruitment process unless the firm want them to screen resumes (typical senior year analyst chore).
If you are confident of sailing through the the initial rounds don't even bother connecting with them unless you want to know about the firm culture, pay (bonus) etc.
In the end it really boils down to the nature of the person you are trying to interact with and how busy he is on the day he receives your mail :)
Hope this helps!
a
Most helpful contact I ever made is a VP
Email Lloyd Blankfein.
This. I got my FT offer from a non target because of this.
You can contact anyone, it doesn't matter how high up they are, honestly. If you want to have better chances, shoot a bit lower than the top. You would be surprised how much people at any level are willing to help if you have a good background and worthy of being a candidate for the role. If your background sucks you're likely just wasting your own time and theirs.
Yeah, agree here. You can contact anyone - senior bankers have more sway but are less involved in the actual recruiting process (usually); however, you can bet you're getting pulled through if they push for you. Junior bankers are more involved, but ultimately no analyst is going to overrule an MD when it comes down to that last interview/offer slot. Ultimately, the point is to cast a wide net - many people will not respond and you will be surprised at the people who may end up very helpful.
Most helpful person was an MD that was not an alumni that I cold emailed. Seriously, spoken on the phone multiple times in the past year and had breakfast when I flew into town. Got me interviews at his firm and another firm he used to work at.... I got the interview that got me a job through a VP when I got him coffee. Associates and Analysts pushed my resume into the first round interview stack and scheduled office visits that introduced me to VPs and MDs.
So, everyone helps if they have time or you can make a personal connection with them - and 100% of them don't really have the time. You can learn something from everyone, and as long as you are not spamming a single group, I think you are fine to reach out to as many people as you can.
I spoke to 100+ people before I accepted an offer.
Never hurts to email way up the food chain. I'm up there and I like to help younger people out especially if we have something in common (school, fraternity, same mother, etc) and I like to help out people breaking into the business in general. I can't alway simply because I get a lot of emails every day (not just networking emails but ones I really need to respond to) and they get lost in my inbox but if I happen to be slow or hungover or something like that there's a good chance I'll respond.
There's no rule. Just throw as much shit against the wall and see what sticks. Just don't harass an entire company by continually doing it.
Cold e-mailing Alumni (Originally Posted: 09/09/2009)
So just realized my college alumni has an alumni listing by industry, which is awesome.
Site explicitly states that emailing alum should be based on advise rather than job opportunities..obviously I won't attach my Cover Letter & Resume on the first e-mail.
I plan to e-mail (max 2) some basic questions (how do you find your field/etc)..
my Q is how do I turn it into a situation where I can send them my resume/CL without being too aggressive? I'd obviously want to break the ice by physically meeting them or exchanging lots of e-mails, but I'm trying to respect their time as I and they work quite a bit..
how do i turn the "advice" email into a job inquiry without overstepping boundaries and over e-mailing w/ questions..
there was a great thread on here about a month ago or so with some guy who gave this specific advice but i couldn't trace it back..hopefully it wasn't deleted but if someone can link me or add insight i'd greatly appreciate..thanks
Don't make it an advice email. They know you're emailing for a job, don't let career services push you around. If you ask them specific questions, you'll likely seem stilted, and it will make it easy for them to reply with answers, when you don't care about the answers. Email them with a quick introduction, say you are interested in finance and would love to chat some time. If you are in the same city as them, try to meet. Most of this has been covered extensively, but identify who is a good target, based either on your initial conversation or what you can find out about them online. If you talk with someone and it seems like you have a connection, stay in touch. Update them on your progress, and push for an in person meeting (well, not push, but hopefully you understand that - just be persistent).
If they don't reply to the initial email, dont be shy about following up if they seem like they might be useful.
If you do some searches, I'm sure you'll uncover lots more.
To all, don't stop on just alum!!!! I would suggest logging into linkedin and emailing every single person that interests you. You'd be surprised how many complete stragers are interested in helping you out. For ex, I sent out about 60-70 emails to employees from one company and got about 20 replies. Only 1 of those was from my school, a complete non target, and the guy didn't bother answering. Some asked for a resume, some forwarded the email to recruiters, some just gave me their number to give them a call. I still haven't applied to any firms for fulltime, but when I do, I plan to let them know them know.
Agreed. Met a BB prop trader today after messaging him on LinkedIn.
repost
thnks drex, im still searching for that specific threadpost which talked about this and had many great responses..ahhh if only there were an advanced search function..
kris, i tried the linkedin idea. however, i only have two options 1) pay the linkein message fee which i believe is about $30/month for minimum of 3 emails/month or some high fee like that or 2) cold buddy them before i can message them....
to avoid the fee, i just cold buddied some of them in hopes they would simply accept, and then i can shoot them free messages..tried that route but wasn't too successful as i figured they might have deemed it too aggressive...just curious are you ivy?
I just took the name, plugged into the email structure. The majority of those who replied wanted to know how I got their email though. Don't go to an ivy, complete non target.
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/cold-emailing-contacting-an-md-ot…
^^^This was very helpful.
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