Worth it to for referral from old contact?

I'm a new grad looking to apply to a position at a bank I previously interned at. I had a great experience at the firm, and the group I worked with was really lean and close knit so I got a long really well with my VPs and MDs. The problem for me is: 1. I haven't been in direct contact for almost a year now; 2. The new position isn't in the same department as my old one.

In this situation, would it even be worth it asking for referrals? If so, how should I approach the question, given the time lapse?

Thanks for any help!

7 Comments
 

Just because it's been a year doesn't mean they won't remember you at all. Can keep bugging them whenever you want until it's been five years. Then, it might be a little like oh yeah, I remember you liked the chicken wet not fried...

dd

Will update my computer soon and leave Incognito so I will disappear forever. How did I achieve Neanderthal by trolling? Some people are after me so need to close account for safety.
 

Gotcha, that makes sense. This may be a dumb question, but how would you suggest asking for the referral? I was thinking of either:

Asking directly if he would be ok if I used his name as a referral contact. Or indirectly, since he's in different groups, if he knows someone in the hiring group I could talk to to learn more etc.

 

Don't take advice from the above poster. He's made a name for himself on this forum as being mentally ill.

 

Appreciate the lookout. Not sure if I have the overview to judge people. General advice would be welcome though! It just seems a bit needy of me to come out of nowhere and ask for a referral. Wouldn't want to damage any relationships by being too brash; unless I'm just completely overthinking this.

 
Most Helpful

I don’t see anything wrong with reaching out and asking for a referral or some advice from some of the group members on how to apply for that role. Given you left on good terms and you got good reviews, they liked working with you etc. 1 year is fine, not a long gap of time imo, I still reach out to old coworkers from 4-5 years ago whenever the situation calls for it (again, assuming you left on good terms).

One way to go about it would be to email them, let them know you just graduated and want to catch up and see if there is anything available at their bank/group, because you really enjoyed working there the previous year. Then during the chat, maybe mention “hey, I saw this group was looking for an analyst, would you happen to know anyone there I can chat with”. You know the relationships more than any of us do, so use your discretion on who to contact.

 
"conyak" I still reach out to old coworkers from 4-5 years ago whenever the situation calls for it (again, assuming you left on good terms).

Have you found this harder to initiate again? Any awkwardness or situations where they kind of forgot you or anything past surface level about you? 5 years is lot of time and things change significantly..............................

Will update my computer soon and leave Incognito so I will disappear forever. How did I achieve Neanderthal by trolling? Some people are after me so need to close account for safety.
 

Assumenda quo sed odio nobis autem at. Rerum dolores dolor necessitatibus consequatur.

Perspiciatis libero molestiae quo ab temporibus et. Suscipit laboriosam distinctio ut magni recusandae. Ea rem optio possimus.

Illo facere omnis dolorem ut est modi quae et. Voluptates et suscipit inventore ut. Sapiente libero aut dolorem consequatur temporibus hic. Iure aspernatur dolorem maxime dolor. Ut quam accusantium expedita sit.

Incidunt quia molestiae vel et incidunt et rem commodi. Unde aut ducimus in qui corrupti ut consectetur. Enim est delectus nesciunt.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (67) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
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...”