Ohh Yeah!! I made it

After graduating about an year back, finally I made it into IBD. It is just a boutique in my native country (think BRICS), but I pulled it off just by pure cold calling and networking. My story isn't as inspirational as many have shared here, but just to summarise it: Keep on going ahead, even if you can't see light at the end!

Now I know the true potential of cold emailing and networking I would like to continue this. I am not hanging my boots just because I have made it to IBD. It is a cruel industry and I need to have my contacts if and when the situation goes belly up. Given my hours I am not aiming high at all. I just want to connect to only ONE person in a week AND that too outside my country: like US, Europe.

I know many people will say it is nearly impossible to network your way in when you are not in your target country. Heck, I have deleted the word impossible from my dictionary after reading the success stories on WSO. I just have a belief that I will make it.

My target industries are: IB, PE and HF and in Europe and USA. Any suggestions on how to go ahead being an outsider (who will need Visa sponsorship in the target countries)

Cheers

 
Best Response

Sure can share my tactics..but they aren't anything new..

Make two lists of people:

  1. Foot soldiers: analysts and 1/2 yr associates. they can tell you about culture, inside news about industry, hiring, maybe can connect to people higher up

  2. Emperors: These are the decision makers i.e. MDs, VPs. Even if you don't get a reply keep following them. They will make you but won't destroy you. I mean, they can schedule your interviews but won't specifically go as far as to put in a word to blacklist you (if you keep pestering them)

The way things happened to me: Emperors kept telling me "we don't have anything at your level, we aren't hiring" etc. But I made a point to keep them posted about things at my end. If I got an interview at XYZ firm, I made a point to reach out to Emperors to know about that company.

I reached out to the founder of my current company way back in January and he said that they aren't looking for anyone currently. I kept him posted but never received a reply. Out of nowhere this guy calls me to meet him next day for an interview. I gave 6 rounds of interviews with the partners and VP the next day and got hired the same day.

So my 2 cents: keep trying, all you need is one good day to make it to the other side. If it isn't today, it will be tomorrow

 

@doriolisdog

don't get into the Sherlock mood, mate. I classified my target audience into foot soldiers and Emperor groups because

  1. of their decision making power and also their limitations
  2. I like chess

I don't mean any offence to analyst or 1/2 associates. Without their guidance I wouldn't have even pursued cold emailing/calling.

 
techiee:
@doriolisdog

don't get into the Sherlock mood, mate. I classified my target audience into foot soldiers and Emperor groups because

  1. of their decision making power and also their limitations
  2. I like chess

I don't mean any offence to analyst or 1/2 associates. Without their guidance I wouldn't have even pursued cold emailing/calling.

Congrats techiee. Sent you a PM.

GS, BX. Will work for prestige.
 

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