Is it harder to get your resume passed to HR if you're from a target?

I'm at a target (H/W) and I've been networking (calls, coffee, etc.) with alums. I felt like it's been going well, but so far nobody has explicitly stated they would forward my resume to HR. Whenever I bring up the topic of applying, they usually talk about OCR, resume drops, on campus interviews, etc.

Is it assumed that if you're at a target, you don't need to get your resume sent to HR since you will be applying through your school's website and going through OCR rather than the company's online website?

 

Absolutely ask them to forward your resume to HR. HR gets 1000's of resumes, 100's from target schools, if you can get your name highlighted to HR that is a good thing. The alums may even be partof the school teams and selection process, so stay proactive.

 

If you don't want to be completely direct, ask them what the best way to position yourself for an interview with their firm would be. I figured this out half way through FT recruiting and every single person I talked to passed my resume along. Wish I figured it out earlier. You need to be aggressive, but sometimes being to aggressive can backfire.

 
SHORTmyCDO:
If you don't want to be completely direct, ask them what the best way to position yourself for an interview with their firm would be. I figured this out half way through FT recruiting and every single person I talked to passed my resume along. Wish I figured it out earlier. You need to be aggressive, but sometimes being to aggressive can backfire.

Best advice that was posted. I used the same exact phrase when I needed my resume to be passed on to the right people - it worked. Keep setting up those meetings/informationals, try to keep them casual, make friends, and don't be too technical. When the time is right (closer to recruiting season), you hit them with the phrase from above. Furthermore, they all understand what your ultimate goal is. At some point in time, the people you are networking with were in your position.

Good luck!

 
Best Response
CapToed:
SHORTmyCDO:
If you don't want to be completely direct, ask them what the best way to position yourself for an interview with their firm would be. I figured this out half way through FT recruiting and every single person I talked to passed my resume along. Wish I figured it out earlier. You need to be aggressive, but sometimes being to aggressive can backfire.

Best advice that was posted. I used the same exact phrase when I needed my resume to be passed on to the right people - it worked. Keep setting up those meetings/informationals, try to keep them casual, make friends, and don't be too technical. When the time is right (closer to recruiting season), you hit them with the phrase from above. Furthermore, they all understand what your ultimate goal is. At some point in time, the people you are networking with were in your position.

Good luck!

^^^ agreed... This was the best advice on this thread. It's what the bankers are expecting you to ask, and coincidentally, it's exactly what M&I's article on informational interviews recommends... it's amazing how people say they've read everything on M&I yet they clearly haven't because the answers to virtually all questions related to recruiting are covered in some form or fashion in an article by Brian...

 
SHORTmyCDO:
If you don't want to be completely direct, ask them what the best way to position yourself for an interview with their firm would be. I figured this out half way through FT recruiting and every single person I talked to passed my resume along. Wish I figured it out earlier. You need to be aggressive, but sometimes being to aggressive can backfire.

Not sure why you got excreted upon, this is a KEY post.

 

Frankly at a target you don't want your resume to goto HR. You want your name being brought up and circulated internally with the group. Every informational interview is potentially a real interview.

via OCR, you're name will be in the resume books which will circulate within the various banking groups (or the target's review committee) which will then make the ultimate decision. At various stages of the process the individual groups may chime in on candidates they want to make sure they interview.

that being said, you should bring up what 'shortmycdo' said during your informational interviews...

alan

 

What if I'm at a target, and I'm networking with recent alum (ie. first and second year analysts)? Should I just assume they are part of the process/target team? Do I need to explicitly say "How should I best position myself for an interview" to them, or is it already implicitly understood?

 

Disagree completely... you should only do this if you are desperate and have very little time left in recruiting... it's ALWAYS best to establish a relationship with the person first... These people are solicited for help from people all the time and they are going to help people that have invested some time getting to know them/sharing their background and common interests as opposed to people like you who just want to use them to get an interview... I would rather develop solid relationships with a handful of people at a few different banks than to machine gun out my resume all over the place and just ask people to pass along my resume without knowing them (assuming I have the time to develop the relationship) because you are thinking far too short-term. You are going to have to work with these people for 2 years... it's a better situation for everyone if you know and like the people you'll be working with... Again, read M&I and listen to the advice of certified users, and those who have actually found success in this industry before you spout off your "pearls of wisdom"... judging by your previous posts, your opinion, to which you are begrudgingly entitled, should not be looked upon with much regard...

 

I currently go to a non target school (I dont think it could be considered a semi-target). And for the first year Goldman has posted their summer analyst program on the business school career website. Do you think this is a great sign? Do only target schools normally get this?

 
ewlang:
I currently go to a non target school (I dont think it could be considered a semi-target). And for the first year Goldman has posted their summer analyst program on the business school career website. Do you think this is a great sign? Do only target schools normally get this?

It is a good sign if they are holding on campus interviews, but if not it is just a random posting and does not really qualify as OCR. (I could be wrong, I go to a nontarget and have never had any form of OCR at my school, but Citi posted for SA's last year). What you should do is see if there is a contact name with the posting and try to reach out to the person to learn more about the position and hopefully they are not just HR.

 

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