Can I reach out to the MD who sat in on an interview I didn't get?

The other day I had a second round/one hour interview with the hiring manager and MD of the division the role was in. The discussion itself went well, but the interview aspect itself did not go well as I don't have the background they needed and will in all likelihood not get an offer (I likely only got to the second round as they're urgent to build the team out and I had enough matching keywords in my application).

Despite not having the background, I think the discussion about the industry and its trends resonated with the MD. That being said I don't kid myself that I'm probably a distant memory to them an hour or two after the interview concluded.

Even though I'm not likely to get an offer, would it be okay to reach out to the MD for an informational interview/try to build a relationship down the road and hopefully get future referrals or is this crossing a line?

3 Comments
 

If anything, a thank you note would do well. But do not ask for another "interview," even if it is just to keep that connection.

Just save the catch-up/networking call for later down the line - just not right away.

Career Advancement Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (51) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (26) $182
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”