Early Networking

I'll be starting FT at a BB this summer. I'll be working in a coverage group that traditionally doesn't recruit as well as M&A, TMT, Sponsors etc. I'll also be graduating with somewhere around a 3.1/3.2 from a target school. I realize my GPA will potentially be an issue with head hunters, so I'm looking for some feedback on networking early. There's also little or nothing I can do about it at this point so I'm trying to focus on steps I can take to improve my situation. Reaching out to people in the alumni community really paid off during FT recruiting for me and I'd like to hear people's thoughts on replicating this approach for PE.

The only issue I can see is that it may seem premature to do this. I haven't even started working yet, but obviously I won't have the freedom to e-mail people and meet for coffee like I do now. Will e-mailing or cold calling individuals in PE look bad or is this fairly normal?

tl;dr incoming 1st yr analyst with low GPA from a target school, decent group at BB looking to network early.

4 Comments
 

Feel free to network with them. I'm in undergrad and have split my networking efforts between banking and buy-side opportunities. Hopefully this will provide me with a large breath of opportunities down the road. I have found it much easier to network with PE individuals, so go ahead and don't be shy about it.

 

I'd be a bit wary with how you ultimately choose to network with alumni. Keep in mind that PE firms are small. One bad experience with an associate can close that opportunity for you prematurely. It's not like banking interviews, where the firm is large enough that your bad experience can fly under the radar.

The best way of doing this would be to reach out to friends whom are currently in PE and have them introduce you to other people at the firm. If you don't know anyone currently working in PE, ask current banking analysts who have accepted offers to introduce you to people in PE.

 

Thanks, this is exactly the kind of information I wanted to find out. I may have wrongfully assumed this would be a matter of replicating my strategy with IB networking.

Does this tend to apply across the board whether it's a megafund or MM firm? Close friend of mine recently received an offer from a megafund and said the networking he did was vital to the process, but he was also further along in the timeline than I am currently.

 

Laboriosam consequuntur eligendi nam quis autem est. Nemo ut hic neque odio tempora mollitia autem harum. Architecto labore consequatur tenetur blanditiis unde iste sint. Provident omnis odit laudantium unde explicabo. Illum quos adipisci est ducimus. Quas est expedita soluta alias recusandae neque facilis.

Perspiciatis reiciendis occaecati fuga nihil aliquam tempora. Vero ipsam quis vitae esse ut a. Temporibus voluptatem quasi et eligendi eveniet assumenda a. Sunt enim dolorem est dolorum.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.6%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.2%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.5%
  • Bain Capital 98.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Private Equity

  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.2%
  • Ardian 98.9%
  • Blackstone Group 98.5%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.2%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.5%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (97) $363
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (104) $281
  • 2nd Year Associate (234) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (411) $229
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (95) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (271) $124
  • Intern/Summer Associate (37) $80
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (351) $61
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
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
dosk17's picture
dosk17
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...”