1st Year Asking Out 2nd Year??

At BB doing coverage. Was at some analyst work thing and briefly met a girl that was a 2nd year. Blew the eyes right off my head. She was very sarcastic in a fuck you way and I loved it and from first moment I knew I had to get this girl's number to even just chat it up some more. Didn't ask for it because it felt wrong (also new to the workplace). if we were in college I'd have done it on the spot. Was going to send an email asking to connect to learn more about her group saying I found her perspective interesting or some shit and make the ask then but honestly shitting bricks about asking out a peer. She's in a different group, but our team does work with the product group she's in but I've never seen her email pop up in any chain I've been on. How do I play this? Just try to build a friendship slowly and see? I found her IG and she only has like 400 followers so this is a win folks. This is just waiting for a kill. Help me out big ballers. This is one of those TV moments. 

Comments (106)

  • Analyst 1 in IB - Cov
1mo 

that's what every bone in my body is saying. at this point the only thing worth doing is just try to be friends and approach it from a work angle to just get FaceTime. sad but true

1mo 
CompBanker, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Not every "bone" in your body. One clearly is saying the opposite. ;)

CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/

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Most Helpful
  • Analyst 1 in IB - Cov
1mo 

how is it weird to find someone's instagram if it's just their name... also follower count speaks volumes bro. IFYKYK and if you don't know now you know

  • 37
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  • Associate 1 in CorpDev
1mo 

In the words of Kyle, she "a girlie he can get 'cause she don't get too many likes"

  • 4
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1mo 
Green_Bananas, what's your opinion? Comment below:

You're either old, not actively dating young attractive women, or you get no girls. 

"I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse."

  • 3
  • Analyst 1 in IB - Cov
1mo 

he's all 3 brother

  • 1
1mo 
Brio, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Over ~1500 followers and she's for the streets. Unwritten rule.

  • 1
Funniest
  • Intern in IB - Gen
1mo 

And now you put it on a public forum that's very popular within the IB space.

Bravo retard

  • 51
  • Analyst 1 in IB - Cov
1mo 

ah the nuclear option. the temptation to do this is overwhelming. love it. 

  • 4
  • 1
  • Analyst 2 in IB-M&A
1mo 

do NOT do this bro 😭😭

  • 2
  • Analyst 1 in IB - Cov
1mo 

associate 3 with the fatherly advice. exactly. thanks champ

  • 3
  • Analyst 1 in IB - Cov
1mo 

^This is the way, have had much success

1mo 
BadNeighbor, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Man life is short. And made even shorter by IB hours. Just do it we all love the drama anyway

  • 4
1mo 
anon0627, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Don't stick your pen in Company ink

  • 13
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1mo 
alpha bet, what's your opinion? Comment below:

don't shit where you eat

  • 4
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  • Developer in PE - Other
1mo 

Just find a nice college girl to date....

1mo 
Pine1pple, what's your opinion? Comment below:

how do you meet college girls after you graduate ?

  • Analyst 1 in IB - Gen
1mo 

That's the last thing you want

  • 1
  • Analyst 1 in IB - Cov
1mo 

can confirm ECM girls are not it. source: I'm an ECM chick

  • 5
1mo 
FinancelsWacc, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Statistically one or both of you will be gone in the next year or two (lateral, exit, quit, etc.). 

Ask to grab lunch or coffee to connect (Hey, noticed you were at that event, don't know a ton of folks in your group, can we grab coffee / lunch to chat, I'd love to learn more), build a friendship and see what happens naturally.

Not knocking you but the odds of something going wrong by outright asking her out are astronomical (she could just not be into you, already have a SO, could've drawn her own line in the sand and refuses to date at all in the workplace, etc.).

1mo 
bessiecunningham, what's your opinion? Comment below:

FinancelsWacc

Statistically one or both of you will be gone in the next year or two (lateral, exit, quit, etc.). 

Ask to grab lunch or coffee to connect (Hey, noticed you were at that event, don't know a ton of folks in your group, can we grab coffee / lunch to chat, I'd love to learn more), build a friendship and see what happens naturally.

Not knocking you but the odds of something going wrong by outright asking her out are astronomical (she could just not be into you, already have a SO, could've drawn her own line in the sand and refuses to date at all in the workplace, etc.).

text

  • 2
  • Intern in ER
1mo 

LMFAO what does 400 followers on insta say about ANYTHING about her? 

  • 1
  • Analyst 1 in IB - Cov
1mo 

Pollo knows

  • Intern in ER
1mo 

Yea, kinda, but still, lmfaoooo

1mo 
Sequoia, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Anything more than 1k and she belongs on the streets (95% probability)

Not sure though about a couple hundred, what's your experience been with that?

  • Works at Morgan Stanley
1mo 

It's very easy to flirt via teams/slack/skype in a plausibly deniable way. If that goes well and she's into it, just ask her on a date etc. and just it from there. I don't think there's meaningful career risks considering you're both analysts and in different groups. 

  • Analyst 1 in IB - Cov
1mo 

amen to everything but over teams? always get nervous to chat up people on teams about anything personal since ik bank is watching

  • 1
1mo 
terabyte, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Lol WSO really is full of risk averse nerds. OP I promise you nobody gives a single fuck about an AN1 dating an AN2. Those kind of rules are in place to prevent MD / AN type relationships with a clear power dynamic and conflicts of interest.

  • 7
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  • Intern in IB - Cov
1mo 
[Comment removed by mod team]
  • Analyst 1 in IB - Cov
1mo 

I'm going to go the lunch route. just try and make a friend for a while and see the situation out. This is window shopping. Will circle back in 1 years time. Just marked it on my calendar. 

1mo 
TechBanking, what's your opinion? Comment below:

I'm going to go the lunch route. just try and make a friend for a while and see the situation out. This is window shopping. Will circle back in 1 years time. Just marked it on my calendar. 

It's as simple as this. Just ask her to grab lunch. See where it goes. As long as you don't do anything shady and can determine that she's not crazy, it will be fine. Banks don't really care if peers date, and you are in different groups. I know analysts from the same group who are now married. They just kept it low key. We knew, but they kept it professional at the office. 

  • 1
1mo 
Symfuhny, what's your opinion? Comment below:

yeah i would just try to get confirmation that she's feelin you too. if so then easier, but just asking straight up is too risky

  • Analyst 1 in IB - Cov
1mo 

OP  here - If you ask me on 9.999 million days out of 10 million days, I would tell you no chance would I ever even think about talking something up in the office. However, I'm drawn to cool people. People with stories and people who I believe are not "institutional". She fits the bill. I am not just sending a calendar invite. I'm going to just go for coffee and try and be friends. If it becomes nothing than so be it. Definitely not going to start pushing it in a direction. Just seeing the type of person she is. Even if this were another guy I wanted to mentor me, I wouldn't just run up and email and ask. I'd go to lunch and feel out if he would even do that. similar situation here 

  • 3
1mo 
Green_Bananas, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Don't do it. Not worth risking your career over some average girl. 

You have a scarcity mindset. Women are abundant, just find another girl outside the workplace. 

"I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse."

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1mo 
gsssa 2050, what's your opinion? Comment below:

99% certain that this is a HS kid double replying to comments as anon. 

1mo 
IncomingIBDreject, what's your opinion? Comment below:

WSO has a lot of beta males who won't even stand up for themselves in the slightest manner.

People who are saying this will ruin your career are simply wrong… something like 20% of married couples met at work. It's obviously not as high in a large city like NYC, but it certainly happens.

Go for it, but just make sure to not approach her like you'd do at a bar.

I'd send her an email or Teams message to the effect of:

Hi X,

I enjoyed our conversation at the analyst event particularly when we spoke about Y [Bonus points if you have something specific]. As a recent starter in the bank it's nice to meet other juniors who work at the bank. I'd like to learn more about your group and getting adjusted to NYC as a junior and was wondering if you have any time in the next week to chat over lunch or coffee. 
 

[Whatever greeting you use],

A

The "getting adjusted to NYC as a junior " line Is already setting up the wiggle room that the conversation isn't going to be entirely work related and you plan to have a casual conversation as well. 
 

Based on that, make sure to follow up and ask for lunch again or if you're feeling confident take it to dinner / drinks on the weekend / evening. You don't need to frame it as a date but by the 2nd / 3rd interaction as you transition away from work settings she'll get the memo and hopefully you are an enjoyable enough guy for things to work out.

Array

  • 10
  • Analyst 1 in IB - Cov
1mo 

yo you a real one playa. will use this 100p

1mo 
Mr_Agree_to_Disagree, what's your opinion? Comment below:

IncomingIBDreject

WSO has a lot of beta males who won't even stand up for themselves in the slightest manner. {...}

Seriously. If you two work in different groups, report to different people and there's no overlap that could be construed as conflict of interest? Go for it. I get why people threw up the supposedly obligatory "don't dip your pen in company ink" type comments, but Tyson also pointed out that "everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." Dating coworkers happened to me a couple of times...ok...a handful of times. But no one gave a good {fill in the rest in Ice Cube or Samuel L. Jackson's voice}.

Don't be creepy obviously, but just chat to her a bit and say "Hey, I don't know if you had lunch plans, but I need to get out of here for a bit and wanted to pick up our conversation in a more casual spot." Don't even wrap yourself around the pole of thinking you have to pay for everything, or setting exact time and place or whatever. If she has any like of you, the worst would be "I appreciate that! But I have a group lunch today, but how about tomorrow?" You're still in it to win it. I mean Jesus, have none of you seen how it really goes down?! 

And IncomingIBDreject is co-rrect that it starts with a lunch in a casual setting where you can leave work at the door and talk about goofy crap like why did they name an entire breed of dog shih-tzu if just to mess with english speakers. Then that turns into "hey did you hear about the xyz concert this weekend? I was thinking about going but my friend backed out. I don't suppose you're into them too and would want to go?" Or the hockey game, basketball, etc. Even if it's the local D-league teams because those are fun as hell. Worst case, she says no and you just began a new conversation to explore other ideas.

Harden the fuck up WSO.

The poster formerly known as theAudiophile. Just turned up to 11, like the stereo.
  • 9
1mo 
IncomingIBDreject, what's your opinion? Comment below:

This will never go to the "friend zone"" because at some point the OP is obviously going to ask the girl out. The purpose of what I wrote though is to transition the relationship between the two from professional to platonic friends before OP asks her out which makes it a lot less awkward. 
 

I'm not sure what you mean by the template not being able to be used anymore because my comment was simply how to transition away from the professional feel. It doesn't have to be used for romantic purposes. Also, what I wrote is fairly generic. With a bit of personalization based on the bank, intern event, etc. it goes a long way.

Array

  • 2
1mo 
NotGaryGensler, what's your opinion? Comment below:

"I found her perspective interesting or some shit"

Lmfaoooooooooo. Bro you made me laugh

1mo 
BankBoy23, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Dude go for it. Who gives a shit you're a junior employee. One or both of you will have exited in a few years. Just don't do anything crazy.

  • 1
  • Analyst 1 in IB - Cov
1mo 

Every female second year BB analyst checking there follower count rn

  • 1
  • Analyst 1 in IB - Cov
1mo 

OP here - it's all osmosis remember

1mo 
ConfusedGuru, what's your opinion? Comment below:

The instagram follower thing should be added to the holy bro-ble 

1mo 
Pizz, what's your opinion? Comment below:

On your death bed, you will regret not asking this girl out. Just do it. 

  • 2
1mo 
Mr_Agree_to_Disagree, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Pizz

On your death bed, you will regret not asking this girl out. Just do it. 

Fatality

Edit: Made an updated version for ya'll.

The poster formerly known as theAudiophile. Just turned up to 11, like the stereo.
  • 3
1mo 
Isaiah_53_5 💎🙌💎🙌💎, what's your opinion? Comment below:
Mr_Agree_to_Disagree

Pizz

On your death bed, you will regret not asking this girl out. Just do it. 

Pizz Wins

rofl

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee

  • 1
1mo 
ADTIBE, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Just know that if she's not receptive or things fizzle out, it may become awkward for you and possibly close colleagues (especially as you network internally). You would give HR an easy reason to give you a hard time. 

It would be tough to ever go back to "normal", once you reach the point of no return (i.e. make a move).

1mo 
1.5L-Camelbak, what's your opinion? Comment below:

A friend of mine was asked out by a colleague when he (the colleague) resigns. Thought it was clean and reasonable and my friend actually agreed to go out with him. If you intend to just do your two years, it doesn't hurt to maintain a profession relationship till you leave the firm. 

1mo 
rf949, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Evaluate everything based on risk / reward:

Risk -Somebody else said this but nobody gives a fuck about 1st and 2nd year employees dating each other. Especially if in different groups. Especially if you've never even had a work (non social) interaction.So if you like each other - there is absolutely no problem at all!If you try to ask her out and fail - it will be awkward. Your worst downside is deal w awkward (which nobody cares about)!

Reward -You find a way to chat: email, teams - in a friendly fun way - NOT "Tell me about your group" (that is an awful awful way to go).Start off fun and funny if the dialogue keeps going then you know you got something to work with. If it keeps going well then plan a lunch. If that goes well then ask her out. Can't go wrong with this.And if it works out that you get a gf - then it's fucking awesome!Biggest downside is "it's awkward when I see that chick once a quarter". Upside is you got a great girl.Do it! Risk / Reward is very much in your Favor.

Just don't do anything stupid like be mean or make her uncomfortable with not taking no for an answer.

  • 7
1mo 
PommesQT, what's your opinion? Comment below:

if you want to be respected by everyone involved, probably her too, ask her out after one of you leaves. it's going to be within the next 1-2 years anyway. 

Word of caution on the "becoming friends first" approach: Since she's hot and smart she probably gets approached all the time, and probably more guys than you can count have tried the "friends" approach to shoot their shot. It's very tiring and it makes some women lose all respect for you, particularly if she was never into you in the first place

  • 3
1mo 
biscuitsandgravery, what's your opinion? Comment below:

ill say it one more time

these kinda things only work in an office setting if there is strong MUTUAL attraction from the get go, which there clearly isnt here otherwise you wouldnt be asking

  • 1
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1mo 
PommesQT, what's your opinion? Comment below:

I've dated colleagues / clients who have asked me out and this is 100% spot on.

It worked only for them because I was already attracted to them to start with, but it's not like they had any clue that I reciprocated (I'm usually friendly to people in general for the sake of networking). Both were pretty surprised when they found out that I did.

  • 2
1mo 
rf949, what's your opinion? Comment below:

biscuitsandgravery

ill say it one more time

these kinda things only work in an office setting if there is strong MUTUAL attraction from the get go, which there clearly isnt here otherwise you wouldnt be asking

How can you say there "clearly isn't" mutual attraction??

You have no clue and neither does OP until he tries to get something going.

1mo 
szikarumy, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Go get her!! If you think she's the shit, I say go for it rnrn. Be friendly first, though-feel her out before you try anything.

1mo 
bawstin, what's your opinion? Comment below:

I would ask her out, but you gotta do more research. Fewer followers is a good thing, but that could also mean she is more reserved with who she hangs out and is much more disciplined. Do you know her true personality? Is she religious? Look up Facebook, VSCO, who she Links on Linkedin.... find her college/high school and any posts/yearbooks that associate her or her friends. With that info you will be more confident in your approach.

1mo 
Mr_Agree_to_Disagree, what's your opinion? Comment below:

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The poster formerly known as theAudiophile. Just turned up to 11, like the stereo.
1mo 
WakandaBegga, what's your opinion? Comment below:

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1mo 
Brio, what's your opinion? Comment below:

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1mo 
VCMonkey01, what's your opinion? Comment below:

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Array
1mo 
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