Shitty Networking 101

Welcome to the school of shitty networking. There will be future courses, but here's an intro.

I receive messages on nearly every social media platform (even Tinder) from people trying to get a job. Some are fine, and I just ignore them. Some are spineless, or insane, or so terribly written they read like a pregnant teenager's cryptic Facebook status, and I share them with people who need a laugh.

Since I'm financially successful, handsome, and amazing at my job, it's only natural that noobs want to reach out to me and get a piece of what I've got. I get it. If you went to a non-target school, or you lack the social skills to make connections in the appropriate ways, or you're just plain dumb and can't get hired, desperation might set in and lead you to do something like send a pleading Linkedin message.

Unfortunately for these idiots, I hate that shit and I'll mock them mercilessly for it. Needless to say, I'm not going to include any personal info because I'm not a god damn monster, but I invite you to imagine the type of beta weasel that would send the following, which I received a couple years ago and saved for future enjoyment:

"Dear Fear the Bulge,"

Don't say "dear," it's gay.

"I hope you remember me from Redacted Weekend in 2011. It was way cool meeting you. Remember how you showed me the proper way to shotgun a beer? I still do, and it's become a daily ritual for me."

Cool. I'm glad wasting beer has become a daily ritual, hardass.

"So I can see from Facebook (lame, right?)"

Yes.

"that you are working at Redacted now and pretty clearly banging hot chicks left and right as a result."

Look dude, yes, working at a big bank and crushing it is an advantage in getting with women, but I'm also very good looking and not socially retarded. This addition is unnecessary and creepy as hell.

"I want what you have, and I know this might be kind of random and weird, but I'm just reaching out to you and asking for it."

Asking for what? To bang my sloppy seconds? Get to the point, dweeb.

It's a lot to ask and if not I totally urndersand [sic]. It'd be so tight to work with you when I graduate in the spring and if you play your cards right, I might even have an ounce of dank for you as a thank you."

Oh what an honor it is to be not only your sole Wall Street connection (using a definition of that word that's looser than your mom's vagina), but also the beneficiary of your shitty basement grow operation. No, no, no.

"You rock, man. Thanks in advance for your help. [name redacted]"

So what became of this guy? Well, he wears a hat in every picture, which leads me to believe he's already balding at 24. He works at a Toyota dealership and has a girlfriend named "Aslynne."

And while I don't feel personally responsible for any of that, if I had managed to get him a job, maybe I'd have this complete pussy to cover the shit I don't want to do without complaint, and maybe, just maybe, I'd be getting free dank nugs on the reg. Too bad.

Moral is, there's a better way to network than to creepily kiss someone's ass and offer them weed. Stay tuned for future installments.

34 Comments
 
"Fear The Bulge"

Since I'm financially successful, handsome, and amazing at my job, it's only natural that noobs want to reach out to me and get a piece of what I've got.

whoa, hold down your ego, Mr. Junior Trader. You better carry that MD's bag very good and never forget to kiss his ass. You will be quickly thrown out of your equities in Dallas job if you won't. Next time when someone wants to sell, don't quote the ask price, junior.

Who the fuck hires such narcissists?

 
"itsanumbersgame"

Don't disrespect Fear The Bulge. He's the only sign of life this forum has at the moment. It's become full of college kids that use us as a second opinion to their disconnected career counselor and yet still give to each other advice like they made MD at 30.

Ehh.. no disrespect to him/her, but it sounds like a weaker version of "Damn It Feels Good to Be a Banker." If it is Leveraged Sellout with a new name, then my apologies. I do agree though that this forum has grown weak due to the vast number of repetitive posts.
 

uuuuuh I can't wait for the future installment ... Also after having read this I am having the same questions as @SF_G

"SF_G"

Who are you trying to satirize with this thread? 25 and younger bankers who think they're god?

The only way to do great work is to love what you do! PREP QUESTIONS -FIND THEM HERE
 

Are you so proud of receiving a networking template with Dear [Insert Person's name here]?

Get over yourself, he probably sent the same to a hundred other people to see what sticks.

Working at a Toyota dealership is a respectable job and I hope you understand that your S&T job makes nothing of you as a person.

 
"NassLaMenace"

Are you so proud of receiving a networking template with Dear [Insert Person's name here]?

Get over yourself, he probably sent the same to a hundred other people to see what sticks.

Working at a Toyota dealership is a respectable job and I hope you understand that your S&T job makes nothing of you as a person.

I am 99.5% sure this poster makes up half the shit he says. It's supposed to be a comedic account, but I think you didn't get that..
 

There's an obscure quote from Marlon Brando on the creative process and would-be critics who have never created anything with their own two hands that is worthy of evaluation: “They want to lock you up so you can’t be free. If you are not free, you can’t write [Fear the Bulge posts]. You have to go where your mind wants you to go, even if they hate it. Especially. The better it is, the more they’ll hate it. When they all hate it, you’ll know you’ve made something good.”

Keep it up.

 

If you guys can do better, do better. LSO is pretty formulaic after a while so i'm not sure that's the gold standard.

Also, if we're going to do "back in my day WSO was better ..." posts, I want to see Eddie's Tank a Bank post get front paged again so a new crop of you can flip out

 

Praesentium necessitatibus atque esse. Non ullam aspernatur expedita ut. Nihil quibusdam officia molestias labore rerum et enim. Perferendis ipsa dolor aspernatur ut culpa. Nihil aut suscipit officiis illum blanditiis consectetur quas.

Voluptatem sunt voluptas veniam sint. Ad occaecati nulla qui molestiae quibusdam voluptatem iusto ratione.

Distinctio aut saepe maxime. Voluptas eius ut nihil molestias. Officiis reprehenderit voluptatem cum adipisci. Aliquam accusamus dolorem quo et corporis minus accusantium in. Autem nesciunt dolores dolore autem nulla omnis quisquam.

Quod et autem earum. Id dolores quas doloribus accusantium aperiam iste qui.

 

Reprehenderit est eos velit alias ea. Rem impedit repellendus ea incidunt aperiam. Possimus qui ullam sed voluptas nam laboriosam.

Soluta magnam est dolorem quis ea. Ducimus eos aperiam id voluptatem. Veniam est sunt quaerat nihil qui nulla harum.

Dolorem iste dolores illum voluptas eius ea. Similique et in voluptate doloremque.

Iusto veritatis et expedita eum. Et at et rerum quae praesentium dolorum. Dolore qui aliquid ab est.

"A modest man, with much to be modest about"

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.9%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”