i’ve got a spreadsheet of contacts—alumni, people from networking events, folks i found on LinkedIn—but honestly, i have no idea if i’m contacting the right people or if i’m wasting my time. the whole thing feels scattered.
what i really need is a framework. like, who should i be prioritizing? is it senior people at the firms i want? people currently in recruiting? alumni from my school? and then there’s the whole question of what to actually say during these chats.
i don’t want to wing it and sound unprepared, but i also don’t want to sound robotic like i’m reading a script. i’ve seen people share templates, but they all feel so rehearsed.
the bigger picture thing that’s messing with me is: how do i actually map this so it’s strategic instead of just spray-and-praying? like, what’s the sequence? should i start with easier conversations to practice before hitting the big targets? how many people should i be talking to? and realistically, what’s the conversion rate from ‘informational interview’ to ‘actual referral’?
what did your outreach map actually look like, and what would you do differently if you started over?
heres what actually works: tier ur contacts. tier 1 = people u know or strong alumni connects. tier 2 = ppl at firms u want. tier 3 = cold linkedin. start with tier 1 cause theyll actually respond. dont overthink the script—just say you admire their work n want 20 mins. most people say yes. outta tier 1, maybe 30% offer a referral. so do the math on how many u need to reach out to.
youre overthinking this. the magic isnt the script, its that u actually talk to people. most candidates send like 5 emails and give up. do 50. most will ignore u. 10 will say yes. 3 of those might actually help. thats ur math. and no, talking to “easier” people first doesnt prep u—just start with who u actually want to work for and iterate.
i made a simple list: 5 ppl from my school already at mckinsey, 10 ppl from events/linkedin at big 3 firms, then others. contacted tier 1 first and like 4 responded!! felt way better than cold ppl
Effective outreach requires segmentation and intentionality. Tier your contacts: Tier 1 comprises existing relationships (alumni, colleagues, referrals from contacts). Tier 2 includes industry professionals with mutual connections. Tier 3 represents cold outreach. Prioritize Tier 1—conversion rates exceed 40% versus 5% for cold. For each conversation, prepare three elements: a genuine, specific reason you’re reaching out; 3-5 thoughtful questions about their experience and the firm; and clarity about your timeline. During the interview, listen actively and demonstrate authentic curiosity. Ask how they broke in, what surprised them about the firm, and where they see the industry moving. This approach naturally transitions to referral discussions. A realistic conversion: 50% of responses convert to conversations, 30-40% of those result in referrals. Plan for 20-30 initial outreaches to secure 2-3 referrals.
You’ve got this mapped out already! Start with your strongest connections, ask genuine questions, and the referrals will follow. You’re more ready than you think!
Outreach segmentation data indicates Tier 1 (warm contacts) yield 35-45% positive responses versus Tier 3 (cold) at 3-8%. Optimal outreach volume correlates with conversion: research shows candidates reaching 30+ contacts secure approximately 2-4 referrals. Temporal cadence matters—spacing outreach across 4-6 weeks maximizes response rates versus bulk sends. Informational interview duration averaging 20-30 minutes establishes sufficient rapport for referral consideration. Structuring conversations with open-ended questions yields higher engagement and retention of your candidacy post-interview. Approximately 25-30% of warm informational interviews convert to referrals within two weeks of follow-up.