Networking Into Investment Banking: It’s A Marathon, Not A Sprint
“Help! I’m a senior who just started my job search and I really, really want to work in investment banking. I have no finance experience and go to a non-target school. I also only got interested a few weeks ago. Can I work at Goldman Sachs?”
I’ve been getting a lot of emails similar to the above recently. While I hate to ruin your hopes of getting into the field, the reality is you are at a pretty big disadvantage if you get started late in the process.
I know this firsthand because I got started quite late myself.
But you’re at an even bigger disadvantage if you rush and try to compete with everyone else who has had previous finance experience, vying for spots at the top names.
The Usual Story
The usual story is simple: banks come to campus to hold recruiting events and you see all your friends running off to the presentations – so you go and do the same. And even if you hadn’t been interested in banking or finance before, suddenly you get interested and wonder how you can break in.
Sometimes this happens later in your career. I receive a lot of email from working professionals in other fields like accounting, marketing and engineering who suddenly realize they want to work in finance – or at least something faster-paced than what they currently do.
Or sometimes MBA students realize, after missing the all-important banking internship their first year, that they really do want to do finance after all.
The Usual Problems
Regardless of how you got here, your problems shared by everyone else in your position: others have had a head start in the field and you’ve been left (relatively) behind.
Even if you’re more interested and capable than the next guy, you won’t have the quality or quantity of contacts in the field that he will. And you won’t have that all-important “finance experience.”
Recruiters will also find it more difficult to believe that your interest is sincere if you only became interested in the last few months.
The Solution?
If you are starting late and need to get in, what can you do?
Well, you could make an all-out, last-minute effort to cold-call and cold-email every bank you can get a hold of and hope you get lucky.
And you could reach out to 50 alumni, friends and acquaintances each day in an effort to get in and take advantage of the fall recruiting season.
But none of that sounds particularly fun (not that recruiting is fun in the first place…).
So the less obvious but better solution is to not make breaking in a last-minute, all-out effort but rather a long-term goal that you work on each week, and make sure you do it consistently.
It’s better to consistently contact 10-15 people in the industry each week rather than 100 per week… and then get tired of it in week 2 and never start again.
Wait, Are You Sure?
This might seem counter-intuitive: if you have less time, shouldn’t you work harder?
It turns out that it’s actually counter-productive and you’ll get tired of trying to cold-call 50 firms per day on top of balancing real life, work, and classes.
And while most major banks recruit mainly in the fall, regional boutiques and other smaller firms – which you should be focusing on anyway – have more flexible hiring schedules, which means you could get lucky at any point in the year.
In short, regardless of whether you’re a freshman, a senior, an MBA or a mid-career professional who’s switching fields, breaking into banking is a marathon, not a sprint.
Constraints
There are a few constraints – if you’re in college, for example, you may need to line something up by graduation. But even if you start “late,” at the beginning of your final year, that still gives you almost an entire year to break in.
Even if you only reach out to 10 alumni or acquaintances in a week, that’s still over 500 in a year – which should be more than enough to get at least one interview.
Break Into Investment Banking
Free Access to Exclusive Content for Members Only!
Sign up for The Banker Blueprint today and enjoy:
- Free Report: 37-page guide with the action plan you need to break into investment banking - how to tell your story, network, craft a winning resume, and dominate your interviews.
- Exclusive emailed bonus material.
- Free Banker Blueprint newsletter with more in-depth advice.
- Unlimited access to all articles, videos, and advice - and free updates whenever new content is added to the site.
i have a question… if the banks recruit during the fall is it not wise to study abroad during the fall semester of your senior year?
and if you do, how could you network and such. are the contacts you make and the interviews you go through take place during the fall also, or is it during the spring semester. i thought that resumes were always due by like janurary, and then the selection process begins, which is well into the spring semester.
i hope i made sense. thanks for the response.
Correct, bad idea to study abroad in the fall. If you are doing that I would try to network and such while you’re abroad via email and phone calls. For summer internships resumes are due in January, for formal fall recruiting usually they’re due around now.
Hey, quick question again on deadlines and hiring season for banks.. I was wondering if the resumes for both BBs and boutiques are due by January for the summer analyst/internship positions like u said…if thats the case what are my chances of landing an interview if I start applying now. Generally speaking, do all banks necessarily follow a specific hiring period, (example, only during season) or is it all year round for smaller firms…I know interns are normally hired for the summer and fall only but what about 1st year analysts. Thank u very much, Brian!
Most large banks follow a set hiring schedule e.g. internships in January, so your chances are not good if you start right now. If you’re starting late you should focus on local / smaller firms instead.
Can you please define the all important “finance experience”? Does that include more or less anything in financial services? Because I feel like if that’s the case, most students getting an undergrad business degree have “finance experience”. Or does it mean something more like actual banking?
Thanks and cheers.
Yes, finance experience = work experience in the field. Business degrees do not count.
haha im sorry, i meant fall semester of my junior semester. and if i wanted to be recruited to do a summer analyst stint that summer between junior and senior year. sorry for the mix up.
Summer analyst recruiting is in the winter so studying abroad during the fall should be fine. Just make sure you apply on-time…
I am just looking for some advice.
I really like investment banking and I genuinely love the job but I am in a bit of a dilemma. I enjoy the job BUT the hours and the lifestyle is my problem. I dont mind working the long hours on weekdays but on the weekends I really would like a day or two to just chill out with my friends. So my question is.. Should I be deterred into entering inv. banking just because I cant have much of a social life?
And 1 more question.
How often do you travel as a banker? E.g. Once a month or twice a month
And how many days do you stay there for each trip?
Yes, you should not go into this field if you want a social life on the weekends. You never really have a life until you get much older.
Travel: I barely traveled at all, but most of the companies I worked with were local… otherwise I’d say maybe once a month as an Analyst. Usually each trip is 1-2 days, so nothing like consulting.
BTW, I hate business travel, which is why I avoided it so much. Sounds cool at first but you get tired of it really quickly. :)
During an interview, if asked the question: “Why do you want to work at (insert firm name)?”
What is an appropriate response to that? Unless I was interviewing at GS or JPM, I can’t really think of a great reason why I’d pick one particular BB over another? This question also applies to boutiques and middle market banks as well.
Focus on the people you’ve met there and say that you like the team / those you’ve met more vs. what you’ve seen at other banks. If the particular group you’re interviewing with is strong in one area you can give that as a reason as well.
Thank you.
I changed my mind… I love the job so much that I decided maybe 1 weekend a month? Is that possible or is it still to much to ask?
Thanks again :)
It doesn’t work like that. There are no “set hours” or “set days” because everything is completely unpredictable.
There are months where you might get 1 weekend free, and months where you’ll be working every single day.
You have to get used to the unpredictability more than anything else.
I attend a non-target school for certain banks and I am particularly interested in a bank that is coming to a school twenty minutes from me. Would it be okay for me to go to the information session and drop my resume? How do you approach networking not at your school….I also contacted an analyst at the firm i am interested in, spoke to him about recruitment and he forwarded my resume to the HR recruiter. But i’m not sure how banks review resumes from non-target schools, do you think i have a good chance getting an interview? I’ve held a banking internship before, and held another one working in the wealth management division at a bulge bracket firm…but I’m a International relations major and an econ minor…what do you think my chances are?
and when asked the question “why this bank”…for my summer internship interview last spring (I got the job) I talked about some of the deals they’d been apart of, an acquisition the bank had actually made, how they’d expanded in such a short period of time and were “growing” instead of “shrinking” in a tough market. I thought that was a pretty good answer, but I’m curious to see what other people think. I did mention, the culture, people, and ‘flat structure’ but I thought to separate myself I should speak specifically about the banks activity…
Oh and I’ve emailed a number of alumni and I am waiting to hear back from one in particular but have not quite yet. How can I send a follow-up e-mail without sounding pushy?
Yes I would go to nearby target schools for resume drops, no harm in doing that. It’s very random what will happen but it’s worth a shot either way… nothing to lose esp. if you’ve had finance experience.
That answer for “why us” is fine but I would mention specific people too.
Follow-up email: just say, “I contacted you a few weeks ago, just wanted to follow-up and see if…”
I am currently a senior going to school in Minneapolis, MN graduating this fall trying to break into I banking. My school is having a couple I-Banks come in next week for some information sessions. Can anyone give me some suggestions on intelligent questions to ask them?
Focus the questions on the banker, his own career path and background and adapt as necessary.
I’m not sure how long ago this article was published but I just recently stumbled across this website and the information here is great! I am a first year Finance major at OSU, and I am curious as to what I should do for these next few years if I am interested in the investment banking industry. I will technically not even be in Fisher SOB yet, and every internship and business event that I see is available only to upperclassmen.
What can I do now to successfully prepare for investment banking? Also, is a Finance degree from Ohio State even enough to get me a summer internship or job eventually in IB or will I have to move to a much bigger city and start in a smaller field? Thanks for your help.
You’ll have to do a ton of networking if you’re in that position. I would suggest going for small/unofficial internships early on in your first few years and then trying to move to bigger places near the end.
Since OSU is a non-target school, you really need to focus on networking above all else – cold-call, reach out to alumni/friends/acquaintances/anyone else you can think of, and stay laser-focused on that.
Accounting/finance knowledge is good to have but a great network is the most important factor to your success.
Instead of emailing to network, would you ever recommend sending a physical letter to cold-contact a banker saying you want to learn more about the industry, then following up with a call? Someone told me that differentiates you. If not, is a letter ok if email is unavailable? Or cold call instead?
How can an unemployed recent graduate avoid looking desperate? I’m afraid they’ll wonder why I just want to “learn about the industry.” Depending on that, should a recent graduate include/attach their resume when networking to “give a better idea of my background”? I’m very non-target but had a great PE internship if that matters.
Thanks sooo very much from a desperate recent graduate.
I would not send a physical letter, because it takes too long and they may toss it out as junk mail. I always recommend calling rather than emailing.
If you had a PE internship, I would be more direct and say that you’re looking for opportunities and wanted to see what they had available – in your subject, mention your PE internship.
I am currently working in risk management for Bank of America and I would like to transition to investment banking after obtaining an MBA. I am looking into the Duke Cross Continent MBA so that I may continue working while going to school. The program consists of studying in England, India, United Arab Emirates, Russia, and China.
How will investment bankers look at an MBA from this program?
I’m not familiar with that program offhand, but I imagine that kind of experience would look pretty good. Name still matters a lot, but that certainly sounds better than the standard MBA program.
Thanks, very helpful article.
Love the blog.
A.
Hey Brian,
I’m a rising senior at a non-target. I recently sent an email to this person at a BB (not alumni, randomly found on the internet) and asked her if we could talk for a few minutes. She replied back and told me to send her my resume, and she can forward it to the right folks. I understand people know your ultimate goal, but since it’s still two months away from FT cycle, I really want to at least meet them first and talk. How should I reply to her email?
P/S: If people just forward your resume without putting some good words, then it’s not gonna really help rite? (in the case of non-target kids without a 4.0 GPA and just one finance experience)
Forwarding your resume usually won’t help much unless you speak with them first, I would reply and ask for details on the bank and what’s available there and see if she responds… sometimes bankers just don’t want to talk to you and sometimes they do.
Thanks. I’ll try again.
Also, in your how-to-break-into-IBD series, there is something like even after somebody has forwarded your resume, you still need to follow up persistently. But what is there to follow up? I mean after they say they’d pass it along, their job is done?
If they forward it and put in some good words, does that guarantee applicants will get the 1st round? ’cause I think HR is the one who makes decisions about the phone interview?
You just have to follow-up and keep asking what your status is… never any guarantees, only probabilities. There is some coverage of what one reader did here:
http://www.mergersandinquisitions.com/investment-banking-engineer-no-finance-background/
I just finished my first year at Rutgers. Majoring in Industrial Engineering and minoring in Economics. I tried to find a finance related internship this summer, but wasn’t successful. I tried cold calling, and dropping by small companies. But no one really seemed too interested, i think i started the process a little late. How do I prepare myself to get a finance internship and get some experience.
I currently got a job at citigroup as a security guard because I thought it would be a good way to meet people and network. Would it be creepy to email people I talked at my job to for a couple minutes (told them my a little about myself) and try to network with them?
I really appreciate your help.
You could try that angle but not everyone will respond well, it’s worth a shot though. It’s hard to say what went wrong without seeing what you did exactly… keep in mind that cold-calling takes a ridiculous amount of effort to be successful (see the case studies under Recruiting at the top of the page).
I went to a diversity event for a bank and received a list of contacts of people I didn’t talk to during the event. I want to follow-up with them but I don’t know what to ask. Most of my questions were already answered by recruiters at the event.
Advice?
Do some research on them on Google / LinkedIn beforehand and come up with personal questions to ask them
I met some contacts this summer as I was doing an internship in the city. Since I’m done and gonna be back to school in a different state soon, I’m thinking of emailing them with a quick update like “hey…i finish my internship and am going back to school. thanks for talking last month and hope to stay in touch etc”. Would this be redundant? I don’t have any specific question or request as of now because recruiting won’t start in a couple more weeks, so is there anything you think I should say in the email?
Thanks in advance!
You could if you want, but it’s better if you suggest something (meeting in the future or setting up a brief chat) or ask for advice on recruiting.
I’m a rising junior at a top Ivy majoring in East Asian Studies (GPA 3.9, SAT 2270), and I’ve been a huge fan of your site– veteran reader, but first time commenting. I’m studying abroad for the fall semester and am working on getting together a plan for pursuing an IBD/Equity Research/Management Consulting internship for the summer.
I attended a sophomore recruiting/externship week for a top bulge bracket this past summer and also worked as a research intern for my school’s business school. I won a national case competition sponsored by a Fortune 500 and have written equity research reports for a boutique.
I’m pretty apprehensive about the upcoming recruiting season and was wondering if you could recommend a sort of plan of attack– who should I begin reaching out to immediately? Should I be asking them specific questions or request informational interviews? I also am hoping to pursue a spring internship when I return to campus in order to gain more direct finance experience.
Thanks so much for your time– any advice is much appreciated.
Start with alumni since you’re at a target school… at this stage summer recruiting is still a few months away so go for informational interviews or weekend trips and target alumni with similar interests / experiences or anyone who’s in a group you’re interested in.
I recently got a job at a boutique firm as a security officer, but through an outside contractor. The summer I worked during the day, I had some convros with some of the bo bonds guys, and a couple operation mangers. Now that school is starting I will be only working the weekend, and I won’t have access to the bond people anymore. Do you think it would be acceptable if I found an email address somehow through the directory, and then email them? Do you think they would have a stigma against me since I’m the security guard? Also, I really don’t know a good resume, or any finance experience, but I’m a good bs’er/talker so I think if got an opportunity I would be able to spin it well. Any ideas on how I can use this to my advantage?
It’s fine to do that – no harm in trying to network if the opportunity is out there. Just play up your background, talk about rising from nothing to get the position at the boutique firm, and take it from there… talk about any finance learning or independent study you’ve done as well.
I’m a senior & I really want to get a full-time position as Investment banking analyst for next year. I haven’t had any banking related experience and my GPA is below a 3.0 (will be a 3.0 and above after this semester), but I do go to a target school (UC Berkeley). I’m motivated, competent & willing to do what it takes and I really just want to learn as much as I can as fast as I can. What’s the best strategy for me to get an interview somewhere while still focusing on school/grades?
I’m in the process of understanding the banking industry & the individual banks better but I don’t know much about any particular industries/markets like tech, healthcare, etc. Next week there is an investment banking forum/session & I don’t know how impression on a firm such as say Bank of America Merrill Lynch or Jefferies. Should I research a little on all of the banks & try to talk to most of them/give them my resume or only on a few? Any suggestions/advice? I also am not sure if I should focus on these bulge bracket firms, try to get an internship for right now or really focus all my efforts on networking with boutiques & middle group banks in the coming months. I also am not sure how to make an
Finally, is it feasible to land a position after the typical recruiting season (like during the spring semester or summer after I graduate)? One semester can really do a lot for me GPA, experience & knowledge wise.
apologies for all the typos; I was typing from my phone at the time. I would love any feedback though. Thanks :)
There are some tips here:
http://www.mergersandinquisitions.com/investment-banking-information-sessions/
Honestly, at this point it will be almost impossible to get into a bulge bracket with a 3.0 GPA and no banking internships – your best bet is to cold-call and network heavily with small / boutique firms and try to get a school-year internship set up which you can later convert to a FT offer… see all the articles on this site on Networking under Recruiting at the top of the page.
Hi,
Was wondering, when is hiring season and when should you apply before deadline?
See The Banker Blueprint / all the networking articles on the site under Recruiting at the top of the page.
Hey Brian,
I’m a freshman in college and I was wondering, what can I do to break into investment banking at this point? I haven’t completed the relevant coursework yet, and won’t be able to until I’m a sophomore, so how can I better position myself for any kind of finance-related internship? Thanks.
-Valentina
Just started reading, contacting alumni, and learning more about the industry
Hello M&I,
I wanted to know if it is proper or annoying for me to e-mail the people who interviewed me and ask them for feedback on how well I did on the interview after I got rejected.
You can do that, just don’t email everyone you spoke to or it may be annoying.
Hey I was wondering how early is too early to start networking for SA positions. I’m a sophomore at a semi-target school but my cousin’s friends who I’ve met a few times all worked as FT analysts. Some stuck with it some haven’t. Would you recommend starting with them because I know them or reaching out to alumni that I don’t know? Also, should I start this now or hold off until the summer? I don’t want to start it now and have the trail end sometime in July and then have no leads until recruiting season starts.
Thanks!
I would say start in the summer or just before, reach out to everyone you can.
I am still not in any MBA program but I am reaching out to alumni of my desired MBA program (which is a target) and trying to build networks at banks in my city.
At MBA level can I contact alumni at different banks and build my network by adding them on linkedin? Or should I focus on contacting alumni from a single bank? I am afraid that if I add Mr X from Bank A on linkedin, then add Mr Y from Bank B on linkedin, it might send off a wrong signal to Mr X and Mr Y and my chances at both banks might get screwed up. Am I being too paranoid here? Ofcourse this is assuming the bankers actually have enough time to check out my linkedin profile and who I am/am not adding.
Yes contact them across banks, no one cares
Hello, I’m a Junior going to a non-target school in DC and I read all your networking tips and began the process of networking and cold-calling last month. After calling over 200 banks in the area (all boutiques, PE or MM IB) only a few took interns and half of them were only looking for MSFs or MBAs. In the case when I called the MD, he always referred me to some HR guy or the secretary. As for LinkedIn (which also is my alumni database since no one uses our official one) how do you get people to respond to your LinkedIn messages?
Right now I have resumes pending at only 5 firms and they’ve told me they’ll fill their spots in April. I’m very worried I’ll end up with nothing now for the summer. What do you recommend I do? I’m really hoping to land something for the summer in IB or PE but It does get depressing after calling 200 banks and ending up with only 5 “maybes”.
I’d really appreciate any advice. Thank you
LinkedIn messages are tough – the best way is to mention a mutual connection in the subject or to have connections in common with the person. But overall they tend to have a higher ignore rate than email because they don’t seem as pressing.
I would expand your search outside of banking and look at PWM, trading, and related areas like corporate finance – at this point anything you can get will be much better than nothing and other areas tend to be easier to get into.
Hi Brian, I’m having difficulty determining what my best plan of action is to take to get into i.b. I currently run a business, which is something I don’t intend on dropping. However, I am also interest in finance field (hedge funds in particular). So far, I have gotten a position in wealth management (basic cold call marketing for securities), but I really want to get into one of the bulge brackets. So, should I continue the position at this firm, consider an MBA and get into a bulge bracket that way, or continue to network until I find a solid bulge bracket lead. Mind you, I have only had this position for several months and no finance experience beforehand. Thanks!
I would not do an MBA until you do some solid networking first (which you can do while still working at the wealth management firm). Any experience would help so it’s not a waste
Just to add, this is not a large wealth management firm by any means (not name brand), so would working here be a waste of time or would it stand out when recruiting for the larger bulge brackets? Thanks again!
Hey Brian, this week I was able to find an offer for an internship at Euronext, which to me seems like it would look better on my resume, being that it is more well known. I also feel that networking would be stronger at Euronext than at the wealth management firm (which is in LI btw). However, the job I have now does have the incentive of the series 7, which would also look good to potential BB employers. Which, in your opinion to you think would be the better option to go with in the long run? Thanks.
Series 7 is useless for IB go for Euronext http://www.mergersandinquisitions.com/degrees-certifications/
I am a soon-to-be sophomore petroleum engineering major at the University of Oklahoma. Over the past year I have been doing more research and I have realized that I am very interested in finance. Unfortunately, my school is not known for its finance program and top-level firms such as JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, etc., do not recruit here, so I decided to stick with the very good petroleum engineering program. However, my dream job is still to work on Wall Street at a name-brand firm. Do you have any advice for me? I have a 4.0 GPA after my freshman year, and I believe myself capable of maintaining that. In the petroleum engineering field it is expected for sophomores and juniors to have internships with petroleum companies and these internships are decided in November, so it would be very difficult for me to try to get an IB internship since the process is so much later and I am not at a target school. Please, do you have any advice for how I can accomplish my dream even though I am not at a target school nor in a business major?
Sure, read everything on this page, especially the “Case Studies & Interviews with Readers” section: http://www.mergersandinquisitions.com/recruiting/
I am a graduating high school senior heading to the Ohio state honors business college on a substantial academic scholarship. I know it is not a target school but the fishers future program looks promising. Would it more advisable to go for that program or transfer to a target school after 1 or 2 years? I would also like to get a headstart and get an internship. Is pure hard work and reading about the technical side of ib enough to achieve this goal before more relevant coursework in school? What sort of job or internship should I go after? As of now I am willing to start anywhere. I work extremely hard and learn quickly.
Transfer as soon as possible, network, learn what you can but really getting a better school name + contacts is what you need most see everything under Recruiting at the top
Hi Brian,
I’m starting this fall at the University of Michigan with Investment Banking aspirations after I graduate. Ross is only a 3 year program so I still have to get into that with good enough grades this year, but it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. My question is, seeing how I won’t technically be in Ross (which as I understand is the target ibanking portion of Michigan) until next year, is there much I can and should do in the way of getting an internship freshman summer or should I just stick with my camp counselor job and go for a boutique with cold calls after sophomore year?
Try to get the best internship you can, even if it’s early on it’s still worth a shot to go for a local boutique.
Hi Brian,
I greatly appreciate any advice you can provide. I am a rising junior at a target school with a powerful wall street network and ended up setting up a face to face meeting with one of the VP’s of Goldman Sachs. This is not an interview, but rather a personal information session. I plan to keep most of our conversation centered on his experiences and I hope to ask him at the end if I can contact him or any of his associates for future questions. I am confident in my interview skills but since this is very different how do I approach him in a way that makes him open for further contact?
To tell you the truth reading a few networking articles on this site really gave me the motivation to set up the meeting. I will mention this site in my conversation with him; I have to give credit where credit is due.
Thank you for your time and insight.
Cheers,
Ansel
See: http://www.mergersandinquisitions.com/investment-banking-informational-interviews/
I have a huge networking meeting this week with a president at a PE firm. The problem is that I have been doing so much research on IB that I have not had the time to study PE to the point where I feel like I can really impress this guy, because I was going to try to break in to IB as a means to get into PE. What are some things that you think I can do to impress him and what are somethings that you think I should know in order to make this guy realize that I am ready and chomping at the bit to get into the industry?
Just read up on some recent deals on PEHub, make sure you understand what PE firms do generally, and read all the PE-related articles here (do a search).
Hey thanks for all the advice, as you’ve suggested in this site, Ive been calling alumni to ask about their backgrounds and experiences. I was wondering when you go out to meet you alumni in-person, whats the usual dress code? business casual with analysts/associates? and suit/tie for anyone above?
Thanks.
Yeah that should be fine. Could do business formal with everyone if you want to be more conservative.
I have a question..I have completed an internship within investment management at a big firm, and have signed on for another summer. I am, however, interested in Investment Banking as a possible full time option. I figured keeping an internship at a big firm was better than not finding anything, which was the main reason for choosing summer number two. Is there still a chance for me to get an investment banking full time offer somewhere else? And if so, do you have any advice on making this happen? Or is it pretty hard to get a full time offer without doing a summer internship first?
Yes. Network w bankers. Yes harder to get a full time offer w/o a summer internship though if you network immensely it might work. Your IM experience shd help too. It also depends on luck!
Hey, I’m having a phone interview next week with a BB, but not in the IBD but in the product management of investments. Does that increase my chances to get an internship in IBD or would this be just irrelevant finance experience? Perhaps important to know: I’m first year in a non-target school, so I’m happy that I’m getting this opportunity – just dunno if this is “good enough” for a future IBD internship.
Thanks!
I wouldn’t say it is directly relevant but you can always network your way to IBD
If you’re a first year, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Enjoy the experience and network – you have plenty of time
I’m going to a non-target this year and do plan to go into a target for a masters.
Is cold-calling the best form of networking I can do in this position?
You can say so but I’d focus on getting into a target for your masters
Thanks. Though in my non-target, I’ve got some alumni I can contact I recently learnt.
So cold call/apply for internships at smaller firms e.g. Santander/Nationwide?
Yes, also consider alumni but you will probably have to spend more time cold-calling.