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It's not disrespectful at all just seen as naïve. Trust me, I get it, heck I wanted to do it when I was a sophomore in college because I was coming from a non-traditional STEM background/had no connections to speak of. But that's just not how it's done anymore and the types of folks who might appreciate it are either in the ground, retired, or so high up they're not going to be the one you're handing it off to i.e. it'll just end up in the trash. You're much better off trying to cold network, which means cast a wide net and don't take it personally when you get ignored. If someone does respond and they're willing to talk to you, you better know your stuff. 

"If you don't have any enemies in life you have never stood up for anything" - Winston Churchill | "It's a testament to the sheer belligerence of the profession that people would rather argue about the 'risk-adjusted returns' of using inferior tooth cleaning methods." - kellycriterion
 

Not doable anymore - with the number of recents protests, BX shooting incident etc, you can't get past the security desk unless you have a scheduled meeting and are on their list. 

This is the type of well-meaning advice somene who came up in the 80s would give, but it's just not how it works anymore and would be wasting your own time. Reach out and ask for phone calls instead. 

 

Email mid level. Ask for coffee. Offer to go to them. If they offer coffee, accept. If they offer zoom, accept. If they don't respond, email back week later. If still no response, "trying one last time" another week later. 

Track them on a list. If you email Person A at firm A three times and they don't respond, move on to Person B at firm A. Cover every firm you want to work at until you get a response. Just keep updating your tracker every day and keep moving through firms. This is the maximalist process to cold recruiting.

 

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