Best Churches for Networking?
Alright, so don't instantly stone me as a complete sacrilegious piece of shit, but I was looking at the "Do you believe in God" post, and realized that, as bankers and those in finance get older, they typically have weekends off and some might actually go to church regularly.
Taking that into account, if you could choose a solid one to go to, you should be able to meet some senior people that may actually have some influence in hiring decisions. However, it seems like it would be tough to make that transition from praising Jesus to networking mode without being seeming like a total sleezebag. That being said, what do you guys think are the best represented faiths / churches on the street?
Note: I am not religious and have not willingly gone to church in the last two years.
Uh, has linkedin and your alumni association totally dried up?? I really cant think of a specific religion or church where bankers would hang out. Besides the fact that this is pretty low, I think it would be a huge waste of time compared to the potential upside.
Kind of a ridiculous question, but not a ridiculous train of thought.
Strong Catholic community coming out of Gtown and ND, both on the Street and in Chicago (mostly banking). Plenty of Protestants on the Street and in CT HFs. If JC isn't an issue, Jewish people have been dominating banking and trading for ages. LDS have a strong representation in consulting. Heck, Hank Paulson is a Christian Scientist.
But given that you're asking this question, I think Scientology might be the best fit.
Guenter, you are breaking the commandments by even thinking of taking advantage of such "networking". Do you have any moral values? Very disappointing. Never do it.
i see nothing wrong with it. some people i know sent their kids to schools where their boss' kids go to and got them in the same sport as those kids to have a reason to be more close etc...
^ i think the difference is when you play a sport, it's not only to have fun but also to make friends and further your own goals and aspirations, which networking and working your way into finance can still qualify to be
versus going to church, the general consensus is that it is a place of worship, for those looking to learn or practice a religion.
that said, there's probably been worse things done in this world than going to a church to meet some new people.
^ but here they are "making" their kids play a certain sport despite whatever his wishes might be (he might like it for all i know) just to get closer to boss's kids and eventually the boss. I find it as morally reprehensible (if at all) as going to church for "networking".
secondly, people go to places of worship to learn or practice a religion (as you said) and also to meet people with similar interest. every goddamn institution in this world (religious/social/political/educational) has been made for people of similar interest to meet, us being social animals and all that jazz
^ oh i thought you meant sending your kid to a sport so the kid can get "in". in your case, its probably wrong but for a different reason (probably because you're "harming" your child to get further in your career).
and i'm not sure if churches are really a place to meet people with similar interests outside of their common religion. for example there aren't churches dedicated to people who enjoy yoga. only churches dedicated to worshiping _____. so i still think the main purpose of church is still to worship _____.
once again, this doesn't seem to be a major offense in my mind. it's kind of like going to barnes & nobles to read/study instead of to buy a book. or going to college to party/network/get a job instead of learning. barnes & noble employees know that not everyone in the store is there to buy a book but are happy to provide an environment for these people to come anyways and i think people in churches would feel the same.
Ok, so lets say you go to church. Now what?
People don't go there to mingle like its a cocktail party. Besides if you go just to use it as a networking opportunity, chances are, they'll see right through you.
Church is a place to build relationships with others who share your faith, not to network with executives who will give you an extra push in hiring decisions. Unless these "decision makers" are going to church for the same reason (which could very well be a possibility), I'm sure they'll see right through you.
Just to clarify, my alumni network has not dried up and I'm doing pretty well for someone my age, I just had this thought and figured i would throw it out there.
And yeah, I figured it would be pretty obvious if you started asking about a job. One of the reasons I thought about this was because when I was looking for internships, my dad told me to make sure I was going to church and talking to any resources I had there. I wasn't thinking like, what church can I jump to in order to get the best exit opps haha.
Makes plenty of sense, but I think if you choose a church that fits your needs, all the pieces will fall into place. I mean, we're talking about Manhattan here. Well-connected people are everywhere.
If you're not looking for a certain denomination, I'd recommend checking out Redeemer and Apostles. Apostles seems to cater to a younger audience (services in the Union Square area and UES) and has a smaller congregation than Redeemer, but I liked it better. I'm moving up in early July and intend on checking out both churches again before settling for one or the other.
In the end, I think it comes down to:
shared passion for your faith => people willing to go the extra mile for you (whether by their own power/authority or by talking to someone who could help you out)
go to temple...
I would imagine that being established within the church is important, so it would only be helpful if you have been a member for a long time or have family that is heavily involved.
BTW old money types lean Episcopalian.
Scientology duh
temple beth shalom on 5th ave
Although I don´t endorse your use of religion to achieve connections, here are some religions (or religious groups) that are often associated with influence and power.
Freemasonry Opus Dei (Catholic) Judaism Catholicism
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