Meeting with IB alumni, help please.
So my friend's dad from high school is a VP/director at a BB. Not entirely sure of his position but i do know that he's currently trying to get promoted to a MD. I was able to get his father to email me when he had time so that i could ask questions and speak with him. Well, after a week he finally emailed. I should also mention that i have met his father on a few occasions and have been over his house many times, but haven't really had a conversation with him. Maybe just a few hello's and goodbye's here and there. However, the thing i'm really excited about is that he's an alumni at my school. Here's a rough transcript:
Email 1: lupris, my son told me you wanted to speak to me. I'm traveling to Toronto next week so if this urgent we should try to get the conversation in this week. Let me know
My office # is xxx.xxx.xxxx but most of my day is already scheduled with meetings. I could move some things around
Email 2: Dear Mr. x,
Yes, I am currently a sophomore at ( non-target university) pursuing a major in Finance. (Son's name) mentioned that you worked at ______ ______ so I saw this as an opporunity to learn. I have a strong interest in pursuing investment banking after graduation. Although I do not have any finance related experience, I am eager to learn more about your field and what your work entails.
I would appreciate the opportunity to ask you some questions regarding your career path via email or perhaps a phone call. I understand that you are very busy, so I do not want to waste any more of your time with another meeting.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
lupris
Email 3: lupris, happy to help and talk to you, don't think it is a waste of my time. any friend of (son's name) is important to me.
my schedule changes fairly rapidly, if you are in the city on Friday then we can spend about a hour around 4PM. my office is at xx west xxnd street in between xth and xth aves closer to xth
if friday is not good, then stop by the house on saturday, we will get brunch/coffee etc and go through your questions
by the way don't call me mr. x that was my dad, henry is fine
Email 4: lupris, one other thing use my work email, have my bbery with me most of the time so will check that more frequently than my iPhone
This is my first time ever meeting with a ibanker or alumni so i'm not entirely sure of what i should be doing. I haven't responded to his last two emails yet, but I plan on meeting him this Saturday unless you guys think it's better to go to the office. Also during the meeting is it okay to bring my own list of questions rather than having to memorize them all? If i were to go meet at his office would i have to wear a suit? or would i look like a tool? Any tips or advice i should know about involving manners, jargon, etc? How prepared should i be? Any recommended books i should read beforehand? What else should i study? Thanks.
If you're going to meet with him on saturday you may want to respond to one of his last emails to tell him that so he knows not to expect you on friday afternoon.
If you're friends w/ his son and will be meeting him at his house, i don't think a suit is necessary. just don't go over there looking like a slob and messy.
Also, it might be overboard to have a list of questions written down with you. have some things in your head you'd like to ask. These casual meetings should be more conversational instead of Q&A. Try to get a good dialogue going
Alright, i emailed saying to meet on Saturday anytime or whenever he's available. I just don't know exactly what i should be doing, but i'm just going to try and be myself and get a good conversation going. I just don't want to seem like a clueless kid, but i also don't want to come off as cocky and a show off. Also, should i offer to buy coffee, or am i totally over-thinking this?
Exactly, just be yourself. Small talk will probably come first (how you're doing at school, what your family is up to etc) and then slowly ease into your interest in finance. Ask him about his background, how he broke into his field, what he did in school etc. Alumni like to talk about themselves and their job, so let him do most of the talking. Don't bring a notepad and write everything he says down, but remember certain things that interest you the most like tips and advice. Also, if you're interested in doing an internship, ask him about it. When you're done, thank him, write him an email the next day (monday if you're meeting him saturday) thanking him for his time and say you'll be in touch.
It will be fine, just be yourself. Let us know how it goes.
try to go in with a little bit of knowledge about Ibanking and his firm. ask intelligent questions. you would want to ask him questions like his background and path to get where he is. People like to talk about themselves so give him the opportunity to do so instead of making it all about you. Ask him advice on things you should do to get a career started on IB. If you're only a sophomore this would be a good networking start to possibly get an internship with him after your junior year.
When it comes time for the bill, they usually pull out their wallett and i always ask what i owe. He is an adult so he most likely will pay for you. But you need to offer even though he will most likely tell you you're all set.
don't be nervous. just keep it casual and as long as you don't say anything completely stupid, you should be fine in using this connection going forward
First, let him know when you will be meeting with him. Communication is key.
Second, keep the conversation flowing. You've met him before; it won't be hard.
Last, smile and a firm handshake are key. When the bill comes, I usually grab it first, but almost always, the alumni/banker waives me off and pays.
Waymon3x6, thank you for all the kind words. I will definitely let you know how it goes. Are you sure it's okay to ask about an internship on the first meeting? I really do not want to give a bad impression nor do i want him to think that i am using him. Honestly, i just wouldn't know how to ask or how i would bring it up. Would a VP/director really be able to help me get an internship anyways? Do they have that power/influence? I would still have to go through the interview process just like everyone else.
Jam6, thanks for the advice, i'll definitely take that into consideration. I'm going to do some research about his firm and IB. I'm also going to brush up on current events. After all this talk, i'm starting to feel a lot less nervous and more confident. Afterall, i have met him before and will most likely see him during the summer since his son is my friend. Also, if all goes well, how should i keep contact with him on a personal level? I don't want to annoy him but i also don't want to make this just a one time thing.
Sorry for asking so many questions, i'm just not really familiar with all this.
AlsatianCousin, i already let him know about Saturday, just waiting for a response on the exact time. Thanks for the advice, i appreciate it.
Good luck pal.
Try to be sincere and genuinely interested around your friend too (obviously don't be fake and don't talk about how you want his dad to give you a job every time you hang out). This could just be me, but if I was in his place and had a friend who I respected and who wanted to break in for all of the right reasons, I would talk him up to my dad myself. Just another thing to have covered I guess...and should pay off in case his dad asks him about you.
lupris,
i am in a similar situation to you. however, the individual that i have been speaking to is one of my father's good friends, who is high up in a bulge bracket. i would start the interview off with small talk, work your way to the informational section. Then finally once you're contact has had a chance to give you his 2 cents you can ask about summer analyst availability. YOU MUST KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT QUESTION WISE. THIS IS WHERE YOU IMPRESS HIM. Sound enthusiastic and hard working. Do not show any level of fear otherwise he will feel that you will compromise his name, if you go ahead and get a chance to intern/work at his firm. Best of luck to you brother and remember that once you start working there you must work twice as hard to build your name and simultaneously avoid tarnishing his.
~fight~
Flake, i completely understand your point. His son and I are on good terms. We graduated High school together and we spent alot of time together (prom, afterprom, beachtrips, etc). During the summer i would often go over his house for outdoor bbq's, drink socially, watch movies, etc. Lately we haven't been talking much since he goes to school in another state, but i'm sure we'll spend time together this upcoming summer when he comes back home. Thanks for the sound advice.
Allaboutthefight, i never really expected an internship from him, but if it happens then great! I just don't think it's highly likely because i'm only a sophomore. I don't have much related coursework to show. I'm working on questions now, and i know i have some homework to do so that i don't sound clueless. I will try my best to impress. Do you know your father's friend position at the firm? I haven't thought about the working twice as hard aspect, it's something i'll take into consideration because it's true. I wouldn't want to disappoint him. Thanks for the response.
Lupris,
I dont know him on a personal basis but hes old buddies with him. I think the most important thing is to always be on top of your game. Complacency kills buddy and you are early in your career in an industry that is extremely hard to break into. Consider that connection god send and roll with it from there. Best of luck to you and feel free to PM regarding any further questions.
~fight~
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