Networking Over WSO? Any Success Stories?
Good afternoon monkeys,
There has been a question that has always lingered at the back of my mind while I have been a member on here. For all the talk there is about networking, has anyone successfully networked over WSO? And has that led to legitimate internship/full time opps? Either in IB/PE/HF/VC, etc.
I've successfully networked with someone over WSO and it led to meeting in person. Didn't land me an internship, but I did build a good relationship with someone that I feel could be a mentor.
Networking On WSO (Originally Posted: 01/18/2012)
I have found WSO to be a great networking resource. It is a community of your peers, some of which actually work in your area or have previous experience in a field you are interested in. Most importantly, people here are ready/willing to help.
Networkers spend so much time cold emailing and perfecting their pitch. But when they contact someone on WSO, the requests are pitiful. I do not know about all of you but I do need something to take my time, redact a model, pull ER reports, take phone calls, all of this shit. Take a look at the "requests" I have received and not responded to:
Hi there, sorry for distracting you. I just have a few question want to ask you because I'm currently looking for a summer internship. I'm so nervous and worry about that. I want to work in those top investment banks. What bank are you working with? Thanks buddy.
Me: No response
I saw a post that you wrote about 7 months ago offering to help an individuals who needed stock valuation/pitch notes templates for his interview. I am in a similar situation as he is and was wondering if you could impart some advice on how to approach this or provide any material which could be of help. Thank you for taking the time to read this and I would appreciate any help.
Me: No response
Hey, saw you offering this model and wondered if you still had it available. Thanks.
Me: No response
Saw that you have an O&G model, do you mind sending it to me? Thanks a lot.
Me: No response
Hi Sir, care to share about the info you have?
Me: No response
I am looking for an example of a one page stock pitch/valuation. Can you send me a copy of the templates/example of the stock valuation and pitch note that you mentioned in a prior post. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Me: No response
Why no response? Why would I? If I like someones post and ask them to PM me for a model, do not write me and say hey, send it to me too. I am not trying to be a dick but this stuff takes time. Why should I have to write you back for your email, the company/industry you are interested in, and then spend my time sending you a model because you said to?
I am assuming these people have similar luck with banks when they write and say:
"I would like to be an Investment Banker. Can you tell me when you are hiring?"
Here are some with responses:
//www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/pay-at-small-no-name-boutiques-dea...
I noticed in the above thread you have a friend working at a boutique in Denver. I was wondering if you (through him, or personally) would have any information about getting an IB job in Denver, or even some names of companies to look for internships with. Any information you might have would be much appreciated!
ME: FT recruiting is over for the firms that actually hire analysts here. However, St. Charles Capital is currently hiring interns for summer 2011, and I believe they regularly give FT offers after. The competition is stiff though, and the only take interns still in school. Do you live in Denver? Why are you looking here? More responses later.
Hi,
I noticed that you are familiar with XXXX via a recent post, and I was wondering if you could give me your general thoughts on these guys. I was recently offered an analyst position, and while it seems like a good opportunity, I do have some concerns (listed below). Any thoughts or knowledge you could share would be much appreciated:
Concerns: - I'm not sure what career opportunities would exist after XXX (I couldn't find any competitors or firms doing something similar - have you heard of any?) - Given there has been somewhat high turnover in recent years during a down economy, I believe there may be some internal issues or a lack of upward mobility – any thoughts? - Also, any general information you have heard or know would be much appreciated!
Thanks!
Response: Not going to post it, but I provided several emails that i had previously exchanged with current and previous employees at the company.
I have an interview on Wednesday with (MM Bank ER). Would you be willing to provide some tips, advice, on what to expect and the best way to prepare for this interview? I have taken BIWS oil and gas modeling and that was very helpful.
Much appreciated!
ME: Can you schedule a phone call? Please send me your number and a time that would be convenient to call (MT of course). - Went on to have several other conversations.
The point is, people on here can really be a resource. I am not saying that I am some great person and you do not deserve a response but at least convince me that I am not wasting my time giving a model or report template to a Freshman (high school or college) and provide some background with your requests.
sk8, thanks for posting this, I'm sure this will be helpful to some of our newer users that are trying to get responses!
I get some of the same types of requests....some people need to take Networking 101. sk8, thanks for your patience and help to the users that did it the right way. Hopefully this post will improve the quality of PMs across WSO.
Thanks, Patrick
sk8247365,
I very much agree with the premise of your post. While I've only purposely not responded to one or two PMs due to absolute ridiculousness of the requests, I do get frustrated and am less helpful to those that demonstrate a lack of effort when contacting me. Some additional advice to the community:
1) The quality of the information you provide will directly influence the quality of the response you receive. If you have an upcoming interview at an investment bank, just tell me which one you're interviewing at. Don't say "think GS/MS/Piper Jaffray..." that doesn't help me. Same with your undergrad institution. "I come from a non-target" doesn't exactly narrow it down enough to enable me to provide meaningful advice. Just tell me where you go to school -- there are probably thousands of kids at your school and I've been out for five years, so I'm going to have no idea who you are. If for some reason I happen to know who you are or
2) Know the background of the person you are PMing. Many of the frequent posters on this site have divulged at least some basic level of background information (age, job function, etc.). I'm always taken aback when someone asks me a very specific question related to S&T, Equity Research, or Asset Management. I've never posted on anyone of these subjects before nor do I know anyone that works in related fields. When it comes to these subjects, you're better off getting advice from a finance major in college than you are from me. If you don't know the person's background, at least provide a link to a comment that they've made that leads you to believe they have knowledge on the subject.
3) Don't ask questions via PM that would be useful for the entire community to see. I know that many of us post here because we want to share our knowledge with the whole community rather than select individuals. If you want a specific user to respond to your question, post in the public forums and then send that user a PM politely asking them to contribute their thoughts. You're likely to get a more thoughtful response that way.
4) If you're PMing a certified user, it is very likely that this person is a working professional. While some professionals don't care about grammar, spelling, or abbreviations; some do. It is better to err on the side of caution and ensure your PM is of professional quality. I recently received a PM where the opening line included the phrase "sck ur dck". While some people would laugh at this, anybody who has read my posts might notice that I always try to be extremely respectful. Again, know your audience!
5) Don't ask for personal information on the opening PM. While I've met / conversed with dozens of people from this website, I'm not going to provide personal details to a stranger just because they asked.
6) If you participate in the community, you're more likely to get thoughtful responses from users. I always check how long a member has been registered, how many posts they have, and any other profile information before I respond to a PM. If someone registered two hours ago and has no posts, I'll be less likely to provide a thorough response and I certainly won't give them personal information.
My personal favorite is a PM I got that started with Hey CompBanker...
If you're going to cut and paste, at least change the fucking name
LMAO
Hey Compbanker
WSO networking success rate (Originally Posted: 01/02/2014)
What is your success rate with networking across WSO compared to other mediums such as facebook, linkedin, IRL, trade meetings, alumni networks, etc? Up until now, I've mostly used WSO as an information source and a plaything to debate/post random topics. So, I really haven't kept track of who I actually talk to and how efficient this site is for real networking.
I'm curious: what has your experience been so far?
Tougher to network here as anonymity is prized. Not impossible, especially at WSO meet-ups or something, but people tend to have more luck with things like alumni networks.
Apologies to Patrick, but the quality of the median WSOer seems pretty low (to me), so it will be tough to generate value networking here.
not unlike wealth gap in china amirite
I think it depends on what you expect. From the standpoint of a PM (or, seemingly, anyone above 30 or above the relative analyst/B-school level), it will likely be hard to derive value from the WSO network.
For anyone at the analyst level, looking to get in to b-school, or recently graduated, I think that the WSO network can be a big asset - some of this is from experience.
And while we're talking about the demographics that make up WSO, I'd like to point out that I'm pretty sick and tired of seeing 12 year olds who are just starting HS asking "am I good enough for IB" on this site. I think it diminishes much of the value the community has to offer.
Edit:
UFO, I forgot to answer your question lol.
Just like anything in life, a consistent involvement is required to drive value from a social network. Personally, I've met a number of intelligent, driven people through WSO who are very sincere when it comes to helping me do anything. Likewise, I help people where I can, and was even able to help one monkey land a good gig in ER.
My position right now is prohibitive in terms of giving or receiving help, but I try to give knowledge online and am ramping up networking again now that certain circumstances are relaxed.
I disagree. Generally I'd say quality is quite a bit higher than your average human being.
Also, WSO is geared towards a younger crowd (in college/recently graduated). For them, I think it's a solid networking op. Of course, that means it's a bit of a time commitment too. Make some good posts, make some e-friends, learn something about Wall Street, and someone might be willing to meet up with you, talk to you about their job, or pass your info along to someone else.
1) Since you're older, this is a great place to volunteer mentoring help to people. I don't really take on most of the people here, but I've met 2-3 really great kids who I'll run through walls for.
2) Go to the WSO conference. There's some real great mid senior people there who you can hang with, especially during dinner time (shoutout to Patrick on that awesome steak place)!
3) If you know anyone hiring, this is a great place. I have friends who were hiring for PE/HF/Consulting and have had several OVERQUALIFIED WSO people private message me for them. It makes me look real smart as well hahaha.
And FYI, I'm awesome to network with [/shameless plug].
Just my .02
I've gotten EB interviews through WSO. Definitely harder to meet people because of the anonymity factor, though.
WSO is good for advice and tips, etc. Actual network only if you go to the meetups and wso conference..hard to do anything online.
I always wonder about this. It seems like WSO attracts a lot of trolls and college kids, so I guess its hard to network on the forum. However, I would imagine at WSO conference and meet-ups shouldn't be too hard. I am looking forward to next WSO meet-up. Can anyone who has been to the WSO meet-up chine in on the quality of people who show?
I wrote a blog post this summer that included WSO networking. Here is the link: http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/how-wso-has-enhanced-my-ibpe-career
I think a lot of people fail to notice the behind-the-scenes networking that takes place on this site. I've interacted with a number of members in equivalent or near equivalent places in their career. Tons of bankers, some PE guys, and some b-school folks. I've even had conversations with them that have evolved beyond the website. Coupled with going to the WSO conference both years, I've developed a pretty decent network. Note that I've initiated contact with fewer than five people in the 7+ years I've been on the site. I imagine active networking would be much more powerful.
Like any other network, it takes time to build. I've made thousands of posts on the site, building a reputation and responding to hundreds upon hundreds of PMs. People are almost always willing to share their personal info with me via PM. In fact, many people give me their details in their introductory PM (it helps me a ton when providing feedback). You have no shortage of posts @UFOinsider. I think you'll find people are more receptive to you than the typical guy off the street.
Nowadays I focus most of my efforts on responding to analysts trying to get into PE or PE guys trying to get into b-school. I still think it is worth the effort - and it doesn't hurt that I enjoy posting as well.
I have not used WSO for this purpose, yet.
Networking and sharing personal info on WSO (Originally Posted: 07/10/2017)
Hi, I'm new to WSO and I'm posting this from a temporary account. Is it a good idea to network on WSO and share personal information? Also I see people use funny nicknames and use obscene vocabulary on forums, aren't people afraid that it will impact their professional reputation?
this is meant to be an anonymous forum so probably best not to share personal info
WSO=networking (Originally Posted: 04/05/2010)
After spending quite a bit of time on the boards, I am wondering how many people have received introductions/referrals/job offers from someone here on the boards?
I've received introductions on here with a top AM firm.
Networking right here on WSO (Originally Posted: 08/01/2011)
There are many forums on WSO stressing the importance of networking for those of us still in school and looking to break into banking. Then it occurred to me, what about networking right here on WSO? There are supposed to be real bankers on this forum after all.
So, is there anyone that would like to help out a transfer student at a target out here on the west coast? I just finished my junior year and wasn't able to get a summer banking internship. Now I'm looking to do a school year internship. Any help would be appreciated.
In on networking thread. Rising senior non-target who is forever unemployed currently.
.
Help organize it! Take some initiative; look for other board members who live in your area and see if something can be set up. Send a few PMs. We've had a couple of these kind of networking/social events here in New York and they wee very well attended. No reason it can't happen out West as well.
Also, consider coming to the Energy Rodeo in Texas--a lot of the senior members will be there, I think.
Just get to know people. Networking = making professional friends. Just start participating in conversations and PMing people that strike you as being interesting/useful.
We should have a networking event in NYC, who's down?
I'm pretty sure there was a NYC networking event in the the past 1-2 weeks, there's a thread with pictures from it in the ibanking forum
I got a job offer through WSO. Put yourself out there and be proactive. Check and see if your new school as a group devoted to alumni from it on WSO, that could be a good place to start.
Thanks for the pointers guys. I'll definitely try reaching out to some people on WSO, but since it seems hard to identify people on the west coast, that might be possible alumni etc. I'll probably first just cold call boutiques (for a school year internship) and do this more for full time recruiting.
That is awesome man. My school's group is really small - only 8 people and I'm not sure how many of them are actually in the field versus people like myself. Regardless, I will try reaching out to a few people after I'm done with cold calling all the boutiques I know of.
I've gotten to shadow a prop desk, and have spoken to many industry professionals because of WSO. If you want it, it's yours for the taking.
Networking within WSO (Originally Posted: 12/01/2013)
I am unsure if this is inappropriate given the nature of anonymity of this site, but if anyone that is going into IB or otherwise wants to connect, please message me privately or post here and I'll message you. To me, it seems the merits of networking via WSO are self-evident, as we can form mutually beneficial relationships within a dense financial community.
yes, this is very common which is why we have many happy hours around the world - so members can also meet in real life offline.
I will say though that going about "networking" which the primary goal as networking is usually not as effective as just going out and having fun meeting new people.
Good luck, Patrick
Whens the next WSO happy hour for NYC? I should try networking on here people tend to be very helpful on board so maybe in real life they're far more helpful.
I made a blog post this summer about how my spending time on WSO eventually created a very valuable network for me in my career. You can read about it here: http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/how-wso-has-enhanced-my-ibpe-career
Yah feel free to PM me too. I tell everyone who I am, especially on the Certified User chat hahahaha.
How do you get into said chat?
I almost feel like I need to post a serious response to this.
I got my current job through another WSO user. Its an extremely powerful network and people are generally willing to help out
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