Networking and timeline for 2023 FT IBD recruiting
I'm currently a junior and I landed a 2022 IB SA at a lower-BB at a west coast office. I liked the people I've spoken to for the most part but I'm thinking about recruiting for 2023 FT roles at top-BB's in NY, mostly for location but also want to help my chances for buy-side recruiting. So I was wondering how and when I should start networking/prepping for 2023 FT IB recruiting and what will be the rough timeline. I've read a lot of mixed comments regarding cold email networking early before the start of my SA, so I'd appreciate any advice on that as well. In particular, I have plenty of time nowadays so I want to start networking early, but it seems like most posts describe it as counterproductive as it could give off the impression that I'm not giving my current group a chance, and that it is advised for me to start networking after at least the first few weeks of my SA. What are your guys' thoughts on this? If I were to start networking now, how should my cold-emails be different than when I was recruiting for 2022 SA?
Also, if I do get a return offer for my SA, usually how much time do I get to decided whether to sign my return offer? Was wondering because, if firms start recruiting for FT only after getting a rough headcount of the SA's that accepted/declined their return offers, then wouldn't FT recruiting for most firms start after the deadlines to sign return offers? In that case, it would be very difficult to find firms who can finish FT recruiting before my firm's return offer deadline.
Went through full time recruiting last year. I sprinkled seeds before my internship so that I can be ready to circle back once my internship starts and say I want to lateral in their group. I had a handful of networking calls during my summer with different people at different firms but most of them said that they won’t interview people until 2+ after the internships end. I was able to get interviews before my summer ended at a BB, MMIB, and “EB”. They were all connection based except for the “EB” (just applied online without knowing anyone). I was lucky enough to get a FT offer somewhere else better before my current return offer expired in 2 weeks.