Networking importance at a top 10 MBA?

I was trying to get a clear answer to this and I was having trouble. I'm at a borderline top 10 MBA program (Think Stern/Yale/Tuck/Fuqua) and am interested in consulting. I'd love MBB but would also be very happy with offers from other top firms such as big 4, Kearney, etc.

Beyond attending the on campus corporate presentations and doing a coffee chat with each firm, do you have to network further than that if you want to be considered? Or are you likely to receive interviews regardless because you're at a target school, and any additional networking would just improve your odds slightly?

If anyone knows of any resources that have answered this question let me know!

 

If you are targeting a regional office for MBB - like Atlanta or Dallas - it can be very helpful to speak with two or three alumni there. Worst case it doesn't help and you burn a few hours and some effort, but likely you can name drop them in your interview. More senior folks (who have a direct impact on hiring) have asked me who has reached out in the applicate pool.

The issue is that there is soooooo many top people are T10 MBA programs gunning for MBB, anything to stand out is helpful. 

 

I feel as if you are in a unique position now where you have time and access to an incredible network, so you should think about the long term rewards of building out a high end network on top of course just landing your offer. It’ll pay dividends for years to come and will maximize your ROI even attending the program in the first place. Also by networking you’ll have interviews that other people who didn’t network won’t have the same access to.

 
Most Helpful

I lead recruiting at a top b-school for MBB and the short answer is yes, you will need to network to get an interview. Outside of HBS and GSB, every campus has a limited number of interview slots called the closed list. Let's say that the closed list is 40 people and we have 200 applicants - the campus team's job is to determine which 40 people we should interview. We gauge this typically by assessing candidates through a mix of event attendance (proxy for interest), quality of interactions (proxy for fit), and resume (proxy for acumen) although partners and campus leads can dictate yay or nay unilaterally. When I was at Accenture Strategy, the process worked exactly the same way so this isn't MBB specific. If you have a strong background and already developed a great rapport with those that you met on campus, you might be okay but just know that recruiting will likely be brutal for upcoming cycles so don't be complacent. Make sure you let every firm and everyone know that they are your number 1 hoe.

 

Mollitia enim quisquam explicabo reprehenderit libero aut aut. Est corporis provident rerum placeat quas id facere. Expedita quasi officia consequatur veritatis pariatur earum non. Et vero eum qui ad.

Neque quaerat voluptatibus reiciendis. Assumenda sequi facilis odio et nihil voluptatibus odio. Temporibus aut beatae nostrum amet soluta quia non. Optio quia officia reiciendis repellat vel. Aperiam quia consectetur reiciendis aut vitae. Impedit soluta et consequatur dolore amet id eaque.

Rerum consequatur voluptas nesciunt iusto nesciunt delectus ratione. Saepe ex et officia consectetur et. Atque accusantium illo est.

Et voluptas similique accusantium voluptatem. Possimus et tenetur natus nisi hic quisquam veniam iste. Tenetur repellat neque nam praesentium dolore voluptates.

Career Advancement Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. New 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (205) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (145) $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

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...”