Networking is over-rated/not-need for finding corporate jobs. My experience!
In my experience, networking is totally over-rated when you are looking for jobs.
I got my first job out of college through OCR, but the next two, including my current one, I simply got through applying online on the company's website.
I did network, but it didn't really lead to much. (Perhaps because I went to a no name school and didnt really have much of a network. Maybe the case is different if you went to a better school).
No
Good thread.
Totally agree, actually. +1
Your anecdotal experience of obtaining two jobs of unknown quality sure convinced me!
I guess my comment deserved to be made fun of.
But Corp Strat at two F200 companies.
Both decent roles if I may say so.
The discussion is not about if you had a hard time getting into your companies through basic applications.
Your proposition is that 'networking is over-rated' for jobs in general when you are a sample size of 2-3 experiences over a subset of billions. What kind of proposition or theory is this? What were you seeking to accomplish by making this statement that networking is overrated?
In some way, I think you're sabotaging yourself. In this thread you are trying to convince others that networking is overrated, but to do this, you have already convinced yourself. This means that you value networking less in your future endeavors, when at times networking in mid to late career trajectories can be the 'heavy hitter' networking moves, dealing with investor funding and utilizing your connections to accomplish a certain outcome, position, or goal. This is a major part of career development in general and also has been looked at as a 'best practice'. No one says 'don't worry about networking' because you always have to keep your options open.
Depends on where you aim. I.e. I’ve never gotten a job or interview through networking, and these include buyside and sellside roles from BB to boutique.
On the other hand, my girlfriend has gotten the vast majority of her jobs (internships only so far) by networking. She’s in law school and got a warm introduction to a vc law firm by one of their clients, so that’s pretty much guaranteed an interview considering the introduction call they’ve done already.
My guess is that at the ultra competitive levels, networking matters. And people want to and will bat for applicants that show the right qualities. My girlfriend had a 3.95 at a semi-target in undergrad and interned at a law firm before starting law school. She has a good story and the numbers to back it up. I on the other hand wanted to coast through college and get a decent enough gpa to let my resume pass the screen and my interviewing/work experience get me the job. That and I was lazy as hell in college.
The fact is that there are plenty of finance and investment jobs. And some but not all are super competitive and require networking. But how many people are actually networking with the hiring managers? And getting them to pull for you? Most analysts and associates that are willing to talk to you, don’t have that much power.
Does your girlfriend make more money/have a better job than you?
She will. Big law pays 200k I think. Her prorated intern pay + potential return bonus at the law firm is on par with my current all in comp. Maybe she’s like 5k or so less depending on the performance part of my bonus. But her Cost of living is higher, so if you factor that in, her prorated intern pay is probably like 15-20k less than mine. Still dam good money though for an intern. I’m an equity research associate and wouldn’t trade it for a job as a lawyer, even if it paid more.
That's the whole game, bro. Meeting people within the company to get you face to face with the hiring manager and making a good impression. That's really all there is to it.
Regardless of whether networking is necessary or effective for finding your first job, it's an important life skill to get far in any business field.
Yeah def
Having a strong network of people who can vouch for you and are willing to help you makes everything much easier.
If you have knockout credentials it won't be as important, but it is always extremely helpful. This is a silly thread.
I couldn't disagree with this more. Coming from a fairly under-represented school without any access to OCR at top firms, networking was the only option to get where I am. However, networking isn't simple in this situation, and if you constrain your outreach to people from your alma mater, you have already shot yourself in the foot. I sent emails to probably somewhere north of 200 people during recruitment for junior year internships. At the end, I was picking from 2 top BBs, 2 EBs, and a top buyside role. People want grit in this industry. Networking is one of the simplest ways to demonstrate that grit to somebody you don't work with.
I was told specifically if I want to rise to the heights of my company and make $500k -2MM, I am going to have to network with sales leaders because we have so many divisions, and ultimately most of the jobs are filled before they are posted.
So i dont think this is good advice.
This is horrible advice. Networking is about much more than just getting a job. What if you're in a position to hire one day and need to find someone with a very specialized skill set? What if you're launching a startup and need to find a technical co-founder, developers, and raise seed round capital or Series A funding? Having a sound network isn't about trying to gain immediate momentary benefits i.e. getting a referral for a low level job at company x, it's about knowing talented individuals with shared values, ideals, and work ethic to help drive all of your careers forward.
Yeah exactly.
Networking from scratch is like starting to work out as a fat person. The first few months FUCKING SUCK. You're self-conscious, it's awkward, you're not sure what to do, and you're afraid to look stupid. Newcomers also expect great results within a few weeks/months and give up after not seeing tangible results.
However, like working out, the beauty really shines when you hit year 1, and things only get better after that with proper care. If you're a truly powerful networker, you'll never really be worried about your next job because you have people in your bench who are waiting to take you on (at least adviser role or otherwise). This benefit only comes after years of tender and consistent care though, similar to getting a resting 6-pack :)
solid analogy
In all sincerity, good for you but you're honestly doing yourself a disservice by not networking.
Superficial networking ("I want a job!" disguised as "are you free for coffee?") is cringe worthy and usually not helpful.
Real networking, i.e. getting to know people because you like them and staying in touch with them like normal friends do, is really valuable down the road. People will go to bat for you because they actually know you well, and you'll often hear about potential opportunities before they're even jobs. Several times I've had friends call me up and say something like "_____ really needs help in this area, he hasn't even thought about role/title yet but I know you guys would work well together, why don't you meet him and figure out what works best." Got my last two jobs that way.
It’s ok OP. Not everyone was born with a great personality.
I don't disagree. If I was a lacrosse playing bro from Yale, things would be different. But I went to a no name school where most alums drive for Uber or work at Macy's. I'm not complaining - I should have worked harder in HS. But that was the reality for me.
I guess you can't really make a subtle point on WSO without getting shat on.
My message to non-target kids seeking Corporate jobs/career transition (I don't have experience of working in the Finance Industry) is to ignore the WSO echo chamber and use online search and apply to as many jobs as possible. Of course if you have a connection who can internally refer you, it's always a plus.
Still possible to get decent jobs without a strong network. /End
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