Recruiting Game Plan (Australia) - Leaving No Stone Unturned

Hi everyone,

I am two thirds the way through a Master of Finance course and am looking at applying for graduate programs early next year. I am hoping to secure a role with a reputable trading desk (IB, big 4 bank etc.). I have previous experience as a junior physical trader and have a GPA of 3.65.

I want to make sure I leave no stone unturned going in to the recruiting period. I was wondering what advice you would have to make sure I can be as competitive as possible for the grad programs?

I have connected with a few trading contacts on linkedin and plan to catch up in person for a beer or coffee early next year. I then plan to keep in regular contact and update them with my progress. Should I be cold calling? What are the most important things I should be doing to network and prepare myself?

Thanks in advance.