1. Target Strategically

So, you’re at that point where you have no clue what job you want to pursue? Don’t sweat it; it’s a common dilemma, and even the best of us have been there. The first step is to buckle down and do your homework, starting with narrowing down your interests. Sure, you can scour Google for ideas, but I’ve found that LinkedIn is an invaluable resource for this.

Take a Deep Dive, One Step at a Time

I suggest diving into the Jobs section of LinkedIn or your school’s career portal. Start by reading job descriptions in fields that interest you—Finance, Accounting, Consulting, etc.—and gain a general understanding of various roles like Investment Banking, Consulting, Capital Markets, Private Equity, Investment Analysis, Trading, Corporate Finance, Corporate Banking… and more.

As you peruse these job descriptions, look at Alumni career paths and roles and see what seems interesting. Take notes (Link to template) on those different roles, types of companies, tasks, requirements and highlight what resonates with you the most (Read the article). Once you’ve familiarized yourself with these roles, start with a top three based on what you have highlighted and dive deeper.

Navigate Through the Maze

Now that you have identified 3 job potential opportunities you are interested in, let’s track down people in these companies that are working or have been working in the same position or part of the same team. It is important to identify individuals in the same company, same location (ideally) and same team as those job opportunities. Look at their background from their education, career path and companies they worked at. If you have a common contact/connection, definitely ask them if they can introduce you, that is always helpful.

The goal? Aim to find 3 individuals for each job opportunity. Look for individuals with compelling career paths, someone you can relate to, those who share common interests or studied at the same university. This will increase your chances of getting their attention. My tip: aim to identify a couple of individuals that are at a junor or mid-level as they are generally more responsive and can offer valuable insights from their own experiences given that they were in your shoes not too long ago. Senior-level people generally don’t have much free time in their busy schedule.

Now, it’s time to make your move and reach out to all these individuals.

Next step: Read the article Network Like a Pro on LinkedIn to learn the most effective way to reach out to those individuals and create connections.

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