Networking: Ways to keep in touch 3-6 months down the road
WSO has been instrumental in my development in the realm of networking, and there have been some very solid posts in the past. Between the excel networking template and many other posts on this forum, I think most of the bases are covered. However, and this seems to be a common trend in doing internet searches on this topic as well, there is just not that much concrete information on how to continue to remain in touch with people, especially ones that play a huge part in recruitment.
I'm interested in hearing the different ways people stay in touch 3-6 months down the road and continue developing that relationship.
For me, I plan on reaching out to an MD and Associate before Christmas, but I am struggling to draft an appropriate email for each of them. I met them 1 time back in March/April when they came to my university to speak with a group of students, but have not followed back up with them since sending my thank you emails for coming.
Any tips/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
TVM_Monkey, you need a reason to reach back out to them, not some random "Hey, I was thinking of you..." type email. Examples would be congratulating them on a promotion or a recent transaction that their group closed. Then, give them a reason to reply.
Sil You hit the nail on the head and that is the biggest thing I am having difficulty with. I agree with you and you're right, these should not just be some random type emails. I don't think either of them have been promoted since I met them, but I can definitely do some research and see if there is a recent transaction. I want this to be a genuine email, as these connections will form the basis of my lateral recruiting efforts for next year. Are there any other methods you have used in the past?
What Ruhm suggested is actually a very good idea. I sent something similar to the following when I was networking:
"Hi Mark the MD,
Thanks again for speaking with me on the phone back in August. As I continue networking and learning more about IB and Goldman Sachs in particular, I was wondering if you knew anyone else at GS who would be willing to give me some time, maybe an analyst who could give me some color into a day in the life of. Thank you again- I appreciate it.
Best, TVM_Monkey"
What I usually did was asking them to connect me with somebody in a specific field (department, industry, product, ...) to get some additional info. In my opinion, it has multiple advantages:
Otherwise you can ask them for a call/coffee chat if that is applicable. As long as you remain professional and do not waste their time.
Ruhm Thanks for the advice. I think this could be a viable email I could send them in the next week or so. Sentence 1: Re-introduce myself and remind them where we met Sentence 2: Relate back to in person interaction (luckily I can do this I took notes on what we talked about) Sentence 3: Ask them if there if there is any they could connect me with -Question on this though: Is this appropriate to ask to an MD? Sentence 4: Conclude the email and wish them either a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. Question on this as well: Which is more appropriate: Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays? My instincts tell me Christmas would be perfectly fine, but I still want to maintain professionalism.
Looks good!
Sentence 3: Make sure that your sentence relates to something specific and that they will not believe you're looking for info you could get online easily. This is easier done with an associate for sure, but if you ask for something somewhat familiar to the MD he'll probably know somebody who can help you. (E.g. I would not ask a FI S&T guy about a recommendation regarding a specific M&A field. Try to remain in somewhat adjacent fields.)
Sentence 4: I'd stick with Happy Holidays just to be safe, but at this point you're starting to overthink it ;) (I tend to err on the PC side when dealing with people I do not know well, damn liberal college.)
Glad it helped!
Send them a note and say you would like to catch up over the phone.
Yeah incomingSA I think that is definitely a good point to include. Just as Sil mentioned above, we don't want this to be just a random email or a random call. At the end of the day, I want it to have a genuine feel, which is why I will include something personal that we talked about when I met them in person. I am currently reading How to Win Friends and Influence People and I've realized you have to give before you take and a mutual beneficial relationship has to be formed, which is why I'm looking for more ways to reach out besides just asking for a call.
how do you stay in touch after cold emails/coffee? (Originally Posted: 10/25/2016)
Just wanted some ways you guys keep in touch with guys you cold emailed and met for coffee. Do you just email them once in awhile with something relevant of what they do? I'm networking with RE guys and maybe email something relative to big news in market or see what current deals they're working on?
yes, that's what I'd do. don't want to contact them too often with minimal substance. also, if you don't have anything, find an excuse, like "I'm networking with _____ in _____ industry, anything I should know going in?" that way you're keeping in touch but not asking them for a favor directly
Cool.. when I met with them they recommended taking a course to further my knowledge in modeling/Argus. I'm doing both. Would it be cool to mention the classes I'm taking?
Keeping in touch - Input (Originally Posted: 05/23/2007)
I imagine with a cell phone, blackberry and office phone its pretty easy to make personal calls throughout the long day at work (obviously not excessively). is this true? I know we won't have time to visit or spend time with family and friends, but I'm still hoping to be able to keep in touch while at work.
I have a feeling there will be a few posters that will say "if you need to talk to friends and family you aren't cut out of IB"-- but for people that are actually realistic, I'd appreciate your input
when you are not on conference calls or meetings there are times you can go off and make personal calls.. mostly when it's quiet though..
What if you make international calls from your company phone? (e.g. if your friends/parents live overseas). I'd imagine that banks will check your call history but up to what point will this actually be an issue?
Do you want a FT offer?, if so, don't call overseas.
My bank told me that I would need to use my personal cell phone for all of my personal calls. I would say: Don't do it on the company's dime, but feel free to step outside every so often (once a week?) to briefly call home. You should really consider just using your free time to keep in touch. For example: During your commute to the office, while eating breakfast in the morning, on the weekends, etc. I recommend using email for keeping in touch with international friends and family instead of the phone.
If you're looking to make 1 hour calls every couple of days to chat with your parents, you're probably going to have to sacrifice part of that closeness.
By the way: Are you a summer or a full time? Your profile makes it appear as though you're going full time. Bryan1, maybe try to be a little more tactful in your response?
The advice I gave him will help get him the job, simple and direct versus a longwinded bloviation.
You guys are taking yourselves way too seriously. Of course you can make personal calls. Hell, I called Mexico to reserve a hotel room for my vacation from my desk. Of course, I am full-time, but still. Plus, you guys will be in IBD (vs. S&T), which means you do nothing the entire first half the day anyway. What better time to call home? You're just sitting around until early evening when your boss will take a giant shit on your desk and ruin yet another night.
my friend worked at GS for 2 years as an I-banker. his parents flew 2000 miles to see him in New York and go see a show on broadwy. When he told his boss that he was leaving for the night, she laughed at him, and told him they have too much work to do. He even said he was coming in on Sunday. And she replied with, I know you'll be here on Sunday, but in the meantime get back to work. Talk about taking a big shit to ruin a night, that was brutal...
You should really consider just using your free time to keep in touch. For example: During your commute to the office, while eating breakfast in the morning, on the weekends, etc. I recommend using email for keeping in touch with international friends and family instead of the phone.
I say, dont call them. If they want to talk, they can call you. You have too mnuch work to do to speak on the phone for personal issues.
I'm gonna be a fulltimer indeed. During the summer I made several international calls from my desk's phone: haven't heard a single word from anybody (and I'm returning at the same bank). Was just wondering whether other people have had different experiences.
If anyone thinks that someone is going to be scanning your phone bill for international or personal calls, you really don't know how a real business is resourced. Calls don't cost a lick. Why would they staff someone to check over phone bills?
Just don't do it to excess. Be reasonable. If you made a call every once in a while, no one cares.
Well...wasn't there a thread on this forum before about an associate who got caught for occasionaly dialing sex lines out of his company's mobile phone?
Surely they WILL monitor calls. But I agree with you that if one were to make some personal calls now and then, that must not be a big deal.
i highly doubt they monitor calls rembrant. what a waste of time. 900 sex numbers are an entirely different story. those are setup to charge you money no matter what calling plan you have. accounting would catch that im sure. anyway that other thread was completely fabricated. it never happened.
i cant imagine any large company paying for phone calls on a call to call basis. im sure they are all setup to make unlimited calls to anywhere around the world for some annual flat rate.
The reason I started this thread wasn't to find out how to avoid getting caught making personal calls. I just wanted to see if chatting on the phone during the day here and there was looked down upon. or frankly if as long as you get your work done and arent bothering anyone, no one gives a shit.
I never make personal phone calls during the day (9-5). I make my personal phone calls during dinner or later in the evening. But you should really tryto keep the amount of time you spend on the phone in check, not because the company will care, but your cube mates will get annoyed fast.
Staying in touch with your SA class? (Originally Posted: 02/05/2010)
After a banking internship, do you usually keep in touch with ALL ur SA class and people that you meet? For your friends that do go to your school it's easy, but what's the general consensus on keeping in touch. I'm curious to know what my class from other schools is off to doing at the moment but not sure if people just generally fall apart from each other.
well dont you meet back for an analyst program after that?
not everyone got or signs the FT offer
There is no way you're going to keep in touch with everyone, you're probably only going to stay in touch with the people you became friends with. If you're interested in staying in touch solely for networking purposes, don't feel the need to send monthly updates. I did a 3 month stint at a small boutique where there were only a small handful of interns. We became facebook friends but never spoke or exchanged words. Three years later I got an email from one of the other two interns and now we're planning on meeting up for lunch in the near future. He is still a banker so I'm going to need to hit him up for deal flow!
keeping in touch with an MD that extended you an offer this summer (Originally Posted: 02/10/2010)
He told me to keep in contact (!) and would like to talk / email etc between now and the start of the internship. How should I keep in contact? I realize I may have questions prior to my internship but I don't want to annoy an MD with menial things that I should be asking HR.
Any advice? Thanks!
Congratulations on getting an offer! You should keep in contact through e-mail first and if you have questions, shoot him an e-mail and let him know you have a few questions if he has the time (let him give available times for calling you). Make sure though that you don't ask him, like you said, menial things that belongs to HR (i.e. can you pair me with a roommate).
Thanks, also this might be a dumb question but after the interview I already sent him a thank you email. Should I send him yet another email after he extended an offer to me via phone?
he prolly wants to sleep with u
lol
How to stay connected with an MD? (Originally Posted: 05/31/2015)
I've met an MD about 3 times in the last year for coffee but I am unsure how I should approach the relationship outside of meeting for coffee. I would love to email him about some interesting reads I pass by maybe like once a month of something, but not sure if he will appreciate me wasting his time like that. Any thoughts on how to keep the relationship fresh?
That's a good way to go about it.
I'd add not to just send him an article or something but ask his opinion on it. I've learned way more from a senior person's interpretations.
Keep up to date on his firm/group too, if you can. "Congrats on the big win" can go a long way, if applicable.
Yes, that's a better way than a simple "how's it going" type of email. I'd scale it back to every other month unless you see something directly related to their firm or his group that's applicable to him. Or, and I'd assume you've talked about something other than pure work related stuff since you've met him three times, send an article about a shared interest. Not something generic like "did you see the Pacman Mayweather fight," but more like "I know you said you were looking for a new driver and I bought/demo'd a ________ and the thing is great. Check it out if you have a chance." Try to be a human being.
This.
And if you know anything about him personally (maybe he's a Yankees fan or something) then forward that along too (like a good read)... Not everything has to be about work. That way you'll be remembered as the sharp kid who's nice but also connects with said MD on multiple levels.
Good Luck.
Thanks- Really good insights. Definitely like the idea of sending him some emails not relating to work. I think often times, we forget that these MD's are human beings too and would much rather be on the greens than in an office (at least i think so haha).
How to keep the contacts warm? (Originally Posted: 06/20/2017)
I am interning at the moment and also reaching out to banks where I wish to be part of for full time recruiting.Since its summer and full time recruiting wont start till September, how do I keep in touch with my contacts?
Store the contact solution in a warm place, and it'll be less itchy when you put them in.
Will let you know in a few days how'd that go. :D
Knocking on your contacts door Again (Originally Posted: 03/20/2012)
I wanted to here opinions on how to approach networking for full time.
I networked with a lot of people and was able to secure plenty of interviews at BB, elite boutiques, and MM banks. I didn't get any BB offers or elite boutiques (poor interview skills which I fixed)
I ultimately want to be at a BB or elite boutique for full time. How would you recommend staying in touch with the people I spoke with who liked me and put in a word already to get me an interview even though it didn't work out.
I have stayed in touch by thanking them, informing them of where I will be this summer and that I will stay in touch.
How would you go about approaching them again in August to position myself for FT interviews at the banks? I am from a non-target with no OCR for FT.
interested
I have this same problem as well. I contacted some people a little while back, however I ended up doing something else (completely unrelated) for a year, but would like to use those contacts again. Any thoughts...
Your top priority should be SA to FT conversion. Just because you want to jump ship doesn't mean it's going to happen, and at least lock down a fulltime position. Additionally, the best way to demonstrate that you're competent and likeable in an IBD setting is to get an offer from the bank you summered at; if you're not good enough to get an offer at XYZ regional firm, then what makes you think that a BB or elite boutique would take you over the dozens of kids who have offers and want their limited slots?
Staying in touch doesn't mean constantly emailing them. Maybe email them toward the middle/end of your internship and updating them on how everything is going, but noting that you're still interested in their firm for whatever reasons. Ask what steps you can take to best position yourself for FT recruiting. Hopefully this'll get you into some accelerated superdays.
Another option, assuming you have an offer and live reasonably close to a target school, is to just show up to target school's info sessions for FT recruiting. Tell them you have an offer but you'd like to interview with your firm because of your interest for whatever reasons.
This doesn't work quite as well, but finding the recruiters for various firms and contacting them can work as well. Again, works better when you have an offer in hand. Sometimes it's difficult to find emails (and people don't always respond to emails), but you can get around that by just calling the firm's front desk and asking to be transferred to HR.
^thanks for the advice. I know I have to get an offer first from the place I will be at. I was wondering if anyone knew about accelerated superdays and how those work and approx when they occur. My internship ends in the 2-3 week of August. Dealing with HR I think wouldn't help since 1. im from a nontarget 2. i already got turned down from their company. Only way I got the interviews in the first place was cause someone internally pushed for me.
Accelerated superdays happen literally right after BB internships end (like within a week, so that everyone is still in NYC). I'm not entirely sure how they work since it's different for each bank, but I got invited through a connection pushing for me so that approach may work for you as well.
Just because you got turned down doesn't mean you can't try with HR again; one thing to try is to just go up to recruiters at career fairs or over the phone and say "I have an offer from X that expires soon; I'm really interested in your bank and wanted to know if there was anything I could do to recruit on an accelerated basis." Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but you never know til you try.
i would like to use those contacts again. Any thoughts... [img]http://www.bosin.info/g.gif[/img]
Keeping in contact with people when you don't want anything right now? (Originally Posted: 05/18/2016)
We had an alumnus come talk about his job in one of my classes. I already have a job lined up, but think he’s a pretty cool guy and he’s working at a company that I might want to work at in the future (3-5 years from now). We talked for a little afterwards and I got his card. How am I supposed to keep in contact with him? Do I just send an email thanking him for taking the time to come talk to the class?
Just reach out and tell him you enjoyed talking to him and you'd like to connect with him again if you're in the area, or he's in your area, whatever. Then send follow-ups periodically asking for his advice about your full-time job, some activities you can involved in, other stuff. When people give you advice they become vested. Also, be interested in his life. (in a non-creepy way) Periodically call once a month or so and see how he's doing. Send him articles, ask what he thinks about the market, sports teams, whatever. Then he'll actually be more of a mentor/friend. Then you can easily ask for advice when you're looking to get into that company later, which will be a recommendation from him (that he'll offer for you)
I always thank these people for the talks right after the presentation if possible. Try and find out some unique things about them. Then I sent articles or news pieces to these people whenever I see something they may like
It's worked well. People like when you do the content curation for them
Always a good idea
How to keep in touch with past co-workers? (Originally Posted: 04/07/2018)
Hey guys, I'm looking for some insight on how to keep up past co-workers in a genuine way. A bit of background, I've done several internships in S&T and although I will be interning at a different bank this summer, I really liked the associates and directors I worked with at my old bank. They told me to keep in touch and I really do want to but I find it hard to do so as I am still in school and I honestly don't have much of an excuse to talk to them again especially since the purpose isn't to get a job or anything like that (and since I left the bank for another). Also, I know how packed their inbox gets and they often times miss reading an email so I find that my emails don't always get a reply and don't really want to pester with a followup as there wasn't any real purpose behind the email other than to just touch base.
Any suggestions or tips on how to maintain good relationships with past co-workers would be appreciated!
I find that bcc'ing past coworkers on emails filled with dank memes is a great way to keep in touch. Also betting pools for the NCAA tournament, Masters, NBA playoffs, whatever are a fun way to lose money when not trading.
Qui esse voluptas autem blanditiis et aspernatur tempora. Doloribus voluptas consectetur voluptatem sapiente eos velit dolores optio.
Adipisci iste voluptas deserunt animi quia saepe blanditiis. Incidunt odit sit quia consectetur.
Doloribus aut illo vitae illo magni. Qui aut dicta laborum fuga ducimus. Ut eveniet quaerat qui cumque eaque ea id. Ea praesentium perferendis ut aperiam. Quo quaerat cum libero voluptas at placeat impedit. Velit non a modi tempora. Sunt sit optio sint sunt quod ut.
Laborum minus sint aliquam voluptatibus. Dolore veritatis ea officiis magni eaque ut qui reprehenderit. Recusandae nihil quaerat consectetur.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Facere deserunt eaque nulla qui vero. Asperiores ipsum a a vero corporis delectus qui aut. Quasi quam a et autem harum omnis sint. Ut est ea cum dolorem.
Consequatur eum ex quibusdam quae est. Quia ut vitae ut ut labore facere qui. Tempore qui qui non ex. Minus et laboriosam molestiae minima temporibus consectetur. Quas ea perferendis laborum nesciunt id quo molestias.
Et occaecati fuga reiciendis est. Repellat sed distinctio ut est quasi impedit ut. Natus itaque beatae cum voluptatem sit. Exercitationem aperiam ad totam enim dolores sit doloremque.
Aut vero doloribus non nulla voluptas et. Qui explicabo consequatur est sit. Dolores sit ut maiores recusandae eos. Quia facere aut non doloremque. Provident incidunt optio cum veniam facere.
Quis praesentium tenetur accusantium aut officia. Est aliquid est sunt repellat at. Illum quibusdam non modi incidunt nostrum temporibus labore. Quas doloremque mollitia ipsa nisi aliquid in consequatur. Quos ullam rem officiis architecto mollitia commodi. Voluptates neque omnis qui libero et ea velit. Cumque rem in quibusdam accusantium laboriosam.
Iusto iste consectetur perferendis nihil omnis porro. Reprehenderit dolor alias rerum cupiditate veritatis earum. Optio corrupti sint totam debitis.