Networking 101 – 8 tips from a “non-target” school student
Journals of a "Non-Target" University Student
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yep I agree w/ the excel spreadsheet tip. when I was a freshman a senior in the finance club showed us his laptop - detailed spreadsheet of 100+ places he's applied to w/ all sorts of info.... its a numbers game one would argue. good tip.
i'd also argue it would be good to get to know the people that work in one's OCR office. getting to know them and having them in your, so to speak, 'corner' can be a good thing.
i'd add branding oneself, its is important b/c when you get to superdays everyone there can arguably do the job, its just a matter of how well you can connect to the interviewers. for some that connection could be going to the same school as the interviewer, it could be an inspiring story of going from a 3.0 freshman gpa to 3.7 by senior year, it could be on how you're big into volunteering / being well-rounded, and for a select few it could be simple name-dropping to the interviewer. to each their own I suppose.
Non-Target Networking Tips (Originally Posted: 08/08/2015)
Hey Everyone,
This is my first post on Wall Street Oasis, however I have been browsing the forum for quite a few years now. Originally I was interested in investment banking, however my interests have recently shifted over to management consulting. This forum has been extremely helpful for me so I am now taking the opportunity to give back!
Brief background about myself: I am a rising junior at a large state university (think Arizona State, Michigan State). Basically, I come from a school that has virtually no consulting recruitment presence (not even Big 4). I knew my chances would be slim-to-none through just applying online, so a few months back, I took the initiative to reach out to consulting professionals through cold-emailing.
The following are 5 tips on how I was able to set up phone conversations with over 60 (yes, sixty) consultants at McKinsey & Company, The Boston Consulting Group, and Bain & Company. Many of these professionals have offered to help me practice with case questions as well as pass on my resume.
DISCLAIMER: As previously mentioned, I am only an incoming college junior. I have not worked for any of these firms - these are simply my OBSERVATIONS through my own networking experiences.
1. Don't limit yourself to just alumni networking, be creative
It is common sense to reach out to professionals with similar backgrounds as yourself, but please do not limit this to only alumni from your school! Coming from a non-target, this list is probably already small. Sure they may be your first priority, but they are not your only resource. Be creative and reach out to everyone who you think you may have the slightest connection with. Here are some examples:
-reach out to professionals who were raised in the same city as you -reach out to professionals who went to a target in your state (if you went to University of Illinois, reach out to Northwestern and University of Chicago alumni) -reach out to professionals who were in the same college organizations as you -reach out to professionals who studied abroad in the same country as you The list goes on and on...
These examples may seem obvious, yet I know so many consulting-wannabees who give up because a lack of school alumni. Mentioning these small connections in an email will vastly increase your response rate. Professionals don't just want to help out students who went to their alma mater - they want to help out students who remind them of themselves!
2. Customize your email title towards the targeted professional
This one is pretty self-explanatory, but make sure that your email title stands out! I talked to a Project Leader once who said he receives up to 10 cold-emails per week. You want to make sure he/she opens yours!
Wrong - Student Looking for Consulting Advice Right - Omega Alpha Sigma Student Looking for Consulting Advice (aimed towards Omega Alpha Sigma alumni) Right - Avid Skier College Student Looking for Consulting (aimed towards someone who was in Ski Club) You get the point...
3. Send your cold-emails out at optimal times
The key is to send out your email when a consultant is least preoccupied. If they are in the middle of working on a demanding project or they are in meetings all day, then they'll likely glimpse at your email and never remember to respond.
Monday mornings are a great time because this is usually when consultants are traveling. They will most likely have free time when they are traveling from their apartment to the airport, waiting at the airport, and then traveling from the destination airport to their final site. Similarly, Friday is a great day because most consultants will usually be at their home office doing less intensive work (wrapping up the week, catching up with others, creating their upcoming schedule).
4. Make sure you follow-up with those who don't respond
Like previously mentioned, sometimes professionals want to help out, but they just forget or don't have time to respond. My rule of thumb is to send out another email around a week later. This can be a simple
"Hi ________,
My name is ________, and around a week ago I sent you an email in regards to chatting about consulting. I know you're extremely busy, but I would still love the opportunity to learn more about you, your background, and your time with (insert firm here). Thanks and enjoy the rest of your day.
Best Regards, ____________"
I probably wouldn't follow-up anymore than once because that probably just means they don't want to talk. :)
5. Don't ask stupid questions, know your sh*t beforehand
A consultant isn't going to want to help you out if he/she thinks you know nothing about the firm/industry. Don't ask questions like "what type of projects are there in management consulting" or "can you tell me the structure of a super-day". Asking these questions makes you look like a buffoon because they can be found through an easy google search. Your goal is to ultimately come off as a likable and impressive candidate.
What do I mean by come off as a likable? Don't be that guy who just spews question after question without any additional insight. It's meant to be a conversation, not a Q&A. I've literally talked with a consultant about football for half an hour, and he ended up giving me a referral. This obviously is a rare case, but the point is that you want to mesh with who you're talking with.
What do I mean by come off as an impressive?? This goes back to knowing your sh*t. Let's say the consultant says that he's currently doing a due diligence project. A great question would then be "I know due diligence projects are known to be more time intensive, how have you been able to efficiently manage your time?" The consultant is now thinking, "wow, this kid has done his research" and is more likely to give a helping hand.
I have a lot more tips and experiences, but this is all for now. I may add a few more later if anyone finds this helpful. I hope to continue sharing my experiences as I get further on in the process (practicing cases, 1st round interviews, super-days). Thanks and good luck with your networking!