Hi everyone, I am a second year student at a target public school who is trying to start networking through emails. However, I don't really have finance experience, but i have experience using excel and access for making databases for a local nonprofit. My real question is: who do i network with? Does it matter if the people i email are analysts? I have already emailed some alumni analysts, but would contacting anyone senior be futile due to my lack of experience?
16 Sep 2020
Hey guys, I'm a sophomore majoring in Econ/Stats at a target public, and I just started emailing Alumni. I heard back from and have scheduled a phone call with a VP at MM PE firm tomorrow. This is the most senior person who wants to connect with me, and I am kinda nervous for my call tomorrow. I would like to get an internship at his firm, but I don't have any finance experience, and I figure that I wouldn't even stand a chance. I'm worried that if I were to ask for an internship, my attempt to connect would seem disingenuous. How should I approach this?
27 Sep 2020
I'm a rising sophomore at a semi-target, so there are alumni I can reach out to but not a lot. After I finish reaching out to alumni, should I also start networking with non-alums or is there really no point in that. Do non-alums even pull for you or only for people from their own school? Would it be worth the time?
04 Jul 2020
Hey everyone! I've finally moved out of the finance life very recently into a more operationally-intensive role but this forum was tremendously helpful to me for years so I want to share my career path and thought process since I took some unconventional approaches. Brief background - Started college in a non-target majoring in accounting -> transferred to a target school after a year - Did summer internships after freshmen, soph, and jr year (business valuation, investor relations, BB ER) - Stuck with BB ER firm after college and joined FIG coverage (~stayed 2 years) - Networked for 6 months
09 Apr 2020
I'm from a semi-target school, at least enough that we have a recruiting team of alumni from my college. I've been networking and built some strong relationships with some associates / analysts however they're not alumni at my school. Are they able to still help if they wanted to or is it ultimately up to the college recruiting team?
08 Jun 2020
Looking for advice on the structure of this cold email to an alumnus. I hope this email finds you well. My name is name and I'm currently a sophomore studying Computer Science and Engineering at target. While exploring different career paths within finance, I developed an interest in investment banking. This summer I will be interning at big 4 in the Advisory group. I am particularly passionate about the healthcare sector, and was wondering if you could take a few moments to speak with me about your experiences at bank so far and any advice you may have on securing opportunities in the
01 May 2020
Currently a sophomore who just accepted a SA 2021 position at a EB (Moe/Laz/Evr). I want to now reach out to everyone who I have networked with so far to thank them for their help and also update them on my offer. A lot of these people are from different firms and even at companies where I had interviews coming up at. I want to know what is the best way to reach out and say thank you while also explaining why I accepted this offer instead of interviewing at their firm. I know sending these things is not necessary but I want to jic I don't end up liking the culture at the EB and want to switch
14 Jun 2020
Hey folks, I want to get your thoughts on this email I am planning on sending to this Allumni to follow up on my application. Background info: I networked a decent amount at this AM firm over the summer, and all of the allumni I spoke with said to keep them updated with my application. What I will potentially send: " Hi ____, Good morning, I hope you have been enjoying your fall! I want to follow up with you and ask if you perhaps have heard any information about the ____? I applied to the _____ last month and was just curious if I should expect a status update soon. Please let me know if you
13 Oct 2020
A VP called me and we chatted, but I couldn't pick up his name. I searched people at the firm, and I for some reason thought it was another VP (Bob), so when I called him back, I called him (Bob) and he didn't correct me. Later, I realized he was a different VP and I called him by the wrong name. Should I find his email and send him an apology? Or should I just let it go... I feel so bad!
22 May 2020
What is the worst, or most inappropriate attempt, of networking you have ever seen from someone trying to get a job?
17 Oct 2019
So I've been trying to email alumni at Evercore, but my emails keep getting bounced. I keep getting a response saying: "Recipient address rejected: Access denied". Has anyone else been having this problem? Thanks
06 Apr 2020
I have seen a lot of different opinions on the best day and time to email an alum or someone you want to reach out to. What is everyone's opinion? I have seen that Tuesday-Thursday is preferred. What about early morning vs. late night? It would be great to hear opinions and possibly some stories of emails gone wrong.
09 May 2020
This might be a very noob question, but I'm new to this. So, if I reach out to an alumni/recruiter or someone in the industry, what exactly do I talk about? Should I talk about my backgrounds, skills, and interests or ask them about their job? Or, should I ask them directly about openings in their firm, and ask their help to secure an internship? What approach works best? Background: - Experienced Software dev, currently in grad school looking to get an S&T internship for summer 2020
08 Feb 2020
I am a rising junior at a target school and I am somewhat anxious about entering consulting recruitment this fall. My GPA (3.54 communication major, business and history minor) I can't change at this point, and I am doing everything I can to prepare for interviews. I really think that networking needs to be the difference maker heading into the fall, but I have little idea what that should look like. I've been able to connect with people at specific firms via alumni databases, alumni of student orgs, and fraternity, but I'm unsure of how these conversations should go and who I should be
29 Jun 2020
Most of my experience is in banking networking - how important is it to network for PE? What are some topics that should come up in PE networking?
01 Apr 2020
As an incoming sophomore at a target I've been trying to networking with people for the 2021 internships but I've only been able to contact analysts and a few associates. None of the VPs or MDs that I've contacted via Linkedin/email and are from my university have replied back and since people on here have said that analysts/associates have little to no impact during the recruiting process, I was wondering how to start actually networking with the more important people.
12 Jun 2020
I'm currently preparing a cold email to send to an alumnus of my school, liberal arts non-target, who is currently an MD at a MM investment bank about an informational call prior to fall recruiting starting. My email is pretty standard in terms of a cold email, but I was wondering if I should include my resume attached to the email? I'm not being pushy and asking for a job or referral or anything, but feel as though it would be helpful just for him to have a little background on me in general. Thoughts?
02 Jun 2020
Hello all, I'll soon be speaking with a couple high profile bankers who are alums of my university/college, at places in which I'm applying for a 2020 summer internship. I'm wondering what questions I should ask and how I should look to impress them to the point in which I can bringup the internship program. Thanks
12 Aug 2019
I've read a lot in the forum about networking - in fact there's even a networking guide I can buy. However, WSO is quite a US-focused website so I assume networking is a big deal for New York IB's. I'm a student at a target uni (think UCL, Warwick, Imperial, LSE) for BB investment banks in London. How much does networking play a part in UK SA and full time offers? Is it sufficient that I just do the online application?
14 May 2018
Hello all, I will be getting coffee with an alumnus of a program I am interested in soon and wanted to ask for advice on appropriate things to ask them. Questions I plan to ask: did the program compliment your skills do you feel like you had access to useful connections / good firms and did you land a meaningful position in your experience can the loans be paid off within "x" years did anyone you know of land international positions without having a foreign relative (lol) Anything else you can think of I could ask?
24 Oct 2018
How impactful is networking outside of actually learning about the firms and their practices? I can see how knowing about firms will let you answer why consulting and why X firm much better, but I am curious if there are serious benefits outside of that and direct referrals. I am thinking about this from a target school perspective since for a non-target networking is clearly essential. Is more senior level networking better than associate/1-2 year experience networking? Thanks in advance.
03 Jul 2020
Has anyone had any luck with the old adage of constantly networking in 2020? Any tips, stories, experiences on how people are going about networking / job hunting these days? Other than a few friendly texts / emails every few months I have no idea how to replace the happy hour / coffee sessions. In my particular situation, I know someone from my school that I haven't kept in touch with much the last year or two but am friendly with. They work at a firm with an opening I want to apply to, but because we can't exactly meet at a coffee shop due to COVID-19 I am a bit puzzled about how to go about
03 Jul 2020
Hi all, I'm currently a rising sophomore interested in a BB's sophomore program next summer, and have been networking with alum over the past few weeks. I've been prepared for all the phone calls and had solid questions prepared, however as I start to network with the more senior people, I was wondering if I may be asked any technical questions. Given I just completed my freshman year, I am still in the process of learning a lot of modeling and technical skills this summer so that I can be prepared if I'm offered an interview slot. Is it best to wait to reach out to the more senior folks once
24 Jun 2020
What do you think about this email template for alumni's. "Hello Mr. [NAME], I hope that this email finds you well. My name is [Full Name] and I am a sophomore a [Target University]. At school, I am involved in the Equity Society learning about DCF and fundamental analysis, which has led me to develop an interest in learning about Investment Banking careers on Wall Street. I am currently interning at an Asset Management fund in Philadelphia trying to expose myself to the industry and gain as much experience as I can during the summer. If you have any availability, I would love to have the
21 Jun 2018
I'm a sophomore (non-target) currently going through the application/interview process for 2019 summer. I have heard suggestions from a couple of current junior analysts with whom I've spoken that they took a day trip to NYC solely for networking. I wanted to get some insight from current Analysts/Associates to see if this is something you did yourself, or knew people who did the same, and it paid off in some way. I'm strongly considering going up soon on a Friday to meet over coffee (or anything really) with people I've already spoken with on the phone, to help them put a face to a name and
09 Apr 2018
During an introductory seminar held in Paris that aimed to provide an overview of the whole London BB internship application landscape, hosted by a company specializing in helping its clients (typically undergraduate business school students) secure internship positions in BB IBD FO and in management strategy consulting, the CEO of this WSO-like company that aims to act as a more powerful substitute to schools' Career Services informed us, aspiring applicants to springs, off-cycles, and summers, that filling out the online application form at a BB for an internship must always be accompanied
19 Jun 2018
So I'm currently a junior at a non-target, want to go into IB. I'll be doing my second co-op at a small advisory firm. Will be working as a financial analyst, so I clearly have some work experience in Finance. Can anyone tell me how hard it would be to get into a MM or boutique firm with my credentials? I'm also part of the school's finance and investment club, the school's political club, and am a tour guide
05 Dec 2017
Good Evening fellow chimps, Facing turbulent times and I could use some advice. I am attending - with only one internship (assistant to a Financial Adviser) under my belt. I am currently getting - place so I will have to work part time to support myself. Has anyone worked part time done an internship and aced their coursework? I'm very anxious about the future. On the positive side I'm having lunch with a fellow works in a PE shop in my building. My current boss is also giving me a referral to a guy who is supposedly starting his own firm. She was not too specific about his work assuming its
25 Jul 2017
I'm a long time lurker but a first time poster. I stumbled on a great technique to find alumni from Non-Target schools on Bloomberg the other day. You can find relevant professionals in investment banking, equity research, private equity, etc. by using the "PEOP" Bloomberg search function. This was by far the most efficient way that I have ever been able to find alumni from my very non-target school. Utilizing this technique easily doubled or tripled the amount of relevant alumni on my list. Feel free to reply or message me for any questions. I am curious to hear if other people have used this
24 Jul 2017
I can't seem to get one senior banker on the phone, any tips on how to network with associates or directors? I'm cold emailing, showing interest and asking for a call, and I have a solid 40% response rate from juniors but almost 0% from people with more than 3 years of experience at a BB. P.S.: I'm not in the US Thanks a lot in advance!
14 Apr 2020
Hey guys, I'm looking to break into a role in the tech innovation department in a bank or digital marketing consulting (eg. Accenture interactive). Here's a few things about me: - graduating senior, major in finance, minor in writing - summer internships were: marketing at a magazine, finance analyst in public sector - extra curricular activities: marketing exec for a high profile multinational non-profit (outside of uni), business case competition team for uni, represented school in national competition - last year I secured a grant to start my own digital marketing company - tech freelance
29 Dec 2016
Hello all, I am an undergraduate BA business undergraduate at Plymouth University with a 2:1 predicted grade. I'll be honest and can accept my A-levels aren't the best. I've been trading for over 6 months now successfully to try to boost my finance related knowledge both from a worldview and in Excel. I have work experience in a variety of different jobs from customer service to graphics, just none finance related. I'm also currently doing the BIWS Financial modeling course to further extend my financial knowledge. I've been networking with Alumni and potentially have an informational
01 Mar 2018
I messaged a high school alumnus who works in IB on LinkedIn: Me: (Introduce myself and ask for career advice) Alumnus: "I actually do [remember you]! It would take quite a while to type, so lets get on a call for a quick chat. Best, Alumnus" Me: (Explain why a mobile-to-mobile call is not possible, only Skype) (We live in different countries) Alumnus: "Ah, well to not overcomplicate things...(explains how to get into banking) Give me a quick run down on your circumstances so I can taylor what I say a bit more. What you study, where etc." Me: (Give him a run down on my
24 Oct 2017
Mod Note (Andy): #TBT Throwback Thursday - this was originally posted on 9/7/12. To see all of our top content from the past, click here. Kids ask how many bankers they need to contact or how many "informational interviews" they need to set up to score that magical offer. And then once they score that offer they seem to think that's it, that they can call it a day. I understand it's only natural to want to do the least amount of work to get the biggest benefit. But this mentality shows through; people can see when you're going through the motions just for the sake of doing something. 1. You
07 Jan 2016
Hi everybody. I am heading to NYC this week to do some networking with some alumni who worked in banking from my non-target (think middle to top Big Ten). I'm excited and fortunate enough to have lined up some lunch/coffee meetings with 6 people, but I feel like I'm not talking to enough people on this trip. Is there anything that I can do in these next few days or while I am in NYC to meet more people? I've cold emailed quite a few people I saw on linkedin and only got a response from an MD at an elite boutique, but it's kind of late to do more of that. Side question: How likely is it that I
18 Oct 2015
I am an incoming freshman at a top 25 school. I had multiple people help me with my college decision over the month of April and now have ended up with a few contacts that could be really useful down the road. 1st connection is a VP at a BB who linked me up with the other two that I am going to mention. My question does not really apply to this person as he is a family connection. 2nd connection is an executive director at a BB. This person went to a school that I decided against going to but strongly considered. Loved talking to this person. Incredibly insightful and would love to keep him as
25 May 2018
Recruitment Season Since it is recruitment season, I thought I would write this post. For all those currently undergoing On Campus Recruitment, being a great network-ER is key. First impressions last and you need to make a great impression on the bankers. But after being to my fair share of networking events, I have noticed that many aspiring students come to the info sessions, but fail to network effectively. Some students manage to hold some of the most awkward conversations I have ever seen and ask the weirdest of questions. But it's understandable: Putting yourself out there and meeting
01 Nov 2015
Hey guys, Thanks for taking the time to read this. I'm a graduating senior right now and accepted a job offer back in October to work at a large Asset Management firm for after I graduate. Since then I've been partying, going out, and basically catching up on all of the fun things I missed out on because of recruiting and worrying too much about my GPA. My question though has to do with networking. I got the initial interview at this company because I cold emailed an alumni and did an informational interview with him. The office is fairly lean and they only take 1 analyst a year. However, from
08 Dec 2015
Some might say that one must be properly armed not only with the technical knowledge but also the firm-specific knowledge for meetings with senior people in order for them to back you up for a position. Hence, one should meet with junior/midlevel people first. Thoughts? Does the answer change if the person is an alumnus of your school? Assume you are shooting for an associate position.
25 May 2015
Hi all, I'm a junior and interested in getting into management consulting full-time. I have a boutique consulting internship in the summer and had a few questions regarding networking for full-time recruiting. When would you recommend beginning networking? What consists of networking? Once you have an informational interview (such as over the phone), how would you recommend maintaining the relationship? Thank you very much!
17 Dec 2019
Interesting read hopefully this motivates any hard working non-target students who need a little pick me up. Feel free to post your opinion on the article.
I want somebody that's smart, hungry, not spoiled. Someone that comes in and actually says, 'I'll work 15, 18, 20 hours a day - just give me a shot. I'll mop floors, I just want an opportunity to learn,'" he said. "I'm not impressed by fancy schools - doesn't matter to me.Here is the full article.
04 Feb 2015
I go to a target school and have a SA IBD internship, but am considering applying to other places for full time positions. During the SA recruitment process, I was told to focus my networking efforts on alumni. I am not so familiar with the FT process, and I was wondering if it makes a difference if you network with alumni in terms of the process, or if it is merely recommended to network with alumni because alumni like to help out students from their school. I ask this because I realized there are a few people I know through an organization I am involved with that I could reach out to, but
20 May 2015
Curious if whether I should send emails to school emails for alumni or email their work emails. For those in the industry, how often do you check your school email?
17 May 2016
How do you network successfully? Most will answer by walking up to someone whom they have never spoken to before and asking for their name, job description, and future plans. However, there comes the dreaded moment when the conversation is no longer interesting, and there are so many other people you could be talking to. I was recently at an alumni mingle where one gentleman was explaining his job in private equity to a group of us, but the conversation became too dry and none of us in a group of 5 felt that it would be right to leave. What would you do to politely excuse yourself and continue
26 Nov 2016
Basically, I didn't go to very many recruiting events sophomore year because I wasn't really sure I wanted to do IB. Now I'm a rising junior interning at a Global Fortune 100, but I'm kind of stuck with a mediocre/shitty GPA from a target (non-Ivy). Where do I start? How should I approach alumni?
10 Jul 2017
Hi everyone, I've been lurking for a while but I'm technically new, so I apologize if I'm breaking any etiquette (and please let me know if I am). I'm a current sophomore at Princeton looking to go into management consulting, but I'm completely lost when it comes to actually making that happen beyond simply filling out applications– and as I've heard time and time again, this alone is not enough to get a position, especially at a top firm. Specifically, I have no idea how networking actually works. Friends and WSO posters always say "network," and I understand the textbook definition, but I'm
24 Jan 2016
(Non-target trying to network his way into IB) If I haven't 'connected' with someone on LinkedIn, is there a way to send them a message? If I haven't met an alumnus of my (non-target) school, is it likely that I would be able to succeed in trying to 'connect' with them on LinkedIn? My school does NOT allow undergraduates to use the alumni database (an incredible blow to networking efforts), so I need to find alternate ways of contacting alumni. Thank you all for your time; I appreciate the advice.
28 Apr 2015
Background: My university does not have OCR, and I leveraged a contact in my alumni network who agreed to arrange some Superdays for me in Toronto in 6 weeks (he is an MD, and head of fixed income at a BB, and well connected with other BBs). Moreover he said his bank would take care of my accommodations. This is obviously a valuable opportunity he is giving me, and I want to stay in touch with him leading up to actually meeting in Toronto in 6 weeks, to ensure that everything goes smoothly. I sent him an email following our conversation with my resume & cover letter for him to review before
21 Jul 2015
I am networking when I apply for positions at certain companies. I found an alum who is a vp of sales and I thought about reaching out to ask him how he likes the company and the city he lives in. Given that I am taking a rather aggressive apply & say hi maneuver, I wonder if he would be put off by this. Second, since he works in a whole different role, I wonder if he would view this as me screwing with his time. This is not the first time I see an alum in a different role at company that is recruiting for the position I am seeking. What is the general consensus on networking with alumni in a
15 Nov 2016
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