How to Network Like a Ninja in London and Break Into Finance with Low Grades and a Non-Target School on Your CV

“You’ve written so much about networking, but it doesn’t work outside the US. No one in my country responds to cold calls or emails – what do I do?”

It’s one of the most common objections I get to the networking advice on M&I.

There are dozens of interviews disproving the old complaint that everything here is targeted at Ivy League grads with high grades – so let’s turn our attention to showing that networking does, in fact, “work” in other countries.

In this interview with a UK reader, you’ll learn:

• How he went from low A-levels and a non-target university to over 1,000 finance contacts in the UK and a top Master’s program there
• How he used a non-finance degree to boost his chances of breaking into banking
• Whether or not traditional networking “works” in the UK and how it’s different from the US
• What it’s like to work at a combined M&A and asset management firm

Investment Banking: Canada Edition

Canada and the US… pretty much the same, right?

How different could recruiting and the finance industry really be?

As it turns out, “a lot.”

In this interview with a reader who currently works in investment banking in Canada, you’ll learn:

• Some networking ninja tactics – who knew the library could be so helpful?
• How recruiting differs in Canada and how you can break in
• Differences in the finance industry, the work itself, and exit opportunities

Let’s get started:

Weekend Trips: The Best Way to Break Into Investment Banking?

And no, I’m not referring to weekend ski trips, a 3-day gambling spree in Monaco, or your feeble attempt to ask your MD for a vacation 2 months after you started.

These are the weekend trips where you travel to financial centers, meet dozens of bankers in a short period of time, and apply the 80/20 rule to networking.

They might not be as fun as hitting the slopes, but they’re one of the best ways to break into finance – if you play your cards right.