How Helpful Is Alum Networking For Undergrad Recruiting?

Hi everyone! I am at an undergraduate target and I am going to do corporate recruiting for consulting (McKinsey, Bain, etc.) in the near future. I am really interested in consulting and want to maximize my chances of getting an offer. Some people recommend cold-emailing alums and asking them for "informational interviews". I was wondering if anyone could tell me if this is actually helpful/does more harm than good? I have not started the application process yet--would it be better to wait until interviews are closer to do this, or should I do this now?

 

Start reaching out to your school alumni's ASAP. I don't see any harm.

Just make sure to be genuine when you approach them. The fact that he/she went to your school is a good leverage to start a conversation. Don't expect them to give you a job though, but they may connect you with someone who can.

Even if you don't get anything from these interactions, you can still bring up during your interview that you met up with alumni who work at X firm. This will show your interests at X firm and make you stand out among other applicants.

Good luck!

Life is too short to be on WSO. But here I am.
 

It's helpful. You'll find that many will talk to you and forward your resume to HR. This often leads to a first-round interview, which has the potential to lead to a final round, which can lead to an offer.

 

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