I’m a junior trying to break into IB and my network is basically my university recruiting pipeline—which is already limited. I don’t have uncles at Goldman, a dad who works in finance, or anything like that. Just a state school degree and genuine interest in the work.
I keep reading advice about “building relationships” and “leveraging your network,” but it feels hollow when you’re starting from nothing. The LinkedIn messages I send get ignored. Cold emails disappear into the void. I’ve been told to ask for coffee chats, but how do you ask someone to grab coffee when you have nothing to offer them?
I’m not looking for shortcuts—I’m genuinely asking how people without pre-existing banking connections actually start. Is it just volume? Like, do you email 100 people hoping 5 reply? Do you find smaller boutiques or regional banks where the barrier to talking to senior people is lower? Do you get lucky and meet someone at an event?
Also, I’m wondering: once you get one coffee chat, does that actually lead anywhere, or is it just one conversation that goes nowhere unless there’s a specific job opening?
I feel like there’s a playbook here that nobody’s actually spelling out, and I want to know what’s worked for people who started where I am. What was your first move, and looking back, do you think it was the right one?
yeah, the networking advice is mostly bs for people without connections. volume is real though—you email a 100 bankers, maybe 10 reply, maybe 1 coffee actually happens. but here’s what matters: middle market or regional firms are way more accessible. the big names will ignore you unless you have a referral. focus on the people actually willing to take meetings, not the tier one shit.
omg this is exactly what ive been worried about. im so scared of cold emailing ppl bc like why would they respond?? but ur right that u gotta start somewhere. gl with this, hope u get some good advice from others!
Your instinct about smaller firms is sound. The reality is that IB networking follows a tier system. Bulge brackets receive thousands of cold outreaches annually; regional and middle-market firms receive far fewer and have genuine capacity to engage junior talent. Start there. Don’t aim for partners—reach out to associates and VPs who remember being junior themselves. Second, coffee chats are not ends in themselves; they’re part of a sequence. One conversation should lead to a second meeting, an introduction, or at minimum, a genuine connection. If you’re asking good questions and demonstrating real interest, people will introduce you further. Focus on being memorable through thoughtful questions, not through having something to offer immediately.
You’ve got the right mindset asking these questions! Starting small and being genuine matters more than you think. Keep going—your persistence will pay off!
one more thing: when you do get a coffee, dont go in asking for a job. ask them about their path, what they like, what they actually do day-to-day. people respond better when you’re actually curious instead of obviously fishing for a position. they can smell desperation, and it kills the vibe.
wait so ur saying we should talk to people at smaller firms first, not try for goldman right away? that actually makes a lot of sense lol
Your honesty and willingness to learn is exactly what bankers respect. Lean into that genuine curiosity!