Do referrals really make a difference in landing a job, and how can I go about getting one?

Question

I’ve heard that having a referral can give you a major boost, but I’m not sure how to approach people or even if it’s worth asking. And how many referrals do I need?

Answer 1

Great question. For better or for worse, referrals matter. Most of the time they won't make or break your application, but they can be the push in the right direction, especially at smaller firms with less formal hiring processes where you've got an important advocate.

So how do you get one? Networking! Make sure that you've reached out to and talked with as many people as possible at the firm. Learn about what they care about and what they're looking for in a candidate. Build advocates. Then, when the application opens, they'll be happy to refer you.

There are 10,000 other things we need to discuss on each of these networking elements--please reach out for a free intro session and let's talk about how to get you into the industry!

Answer 2

Not sure if you still need an answer since this was a while ago, but I think it’s generally possible to apply online... (read entire answer)

Not sure if you still need an answer since this was a while ago, but I think it’s generally possible to apply online even if you weren’t shortlisted for on-campus interviews. As... (read entire answer)

Answer 3

Having worked in both consulting and finance, I’d say the main difference is the focus. In consulting, it’s about big... (read entire answer)

Having worked in both consulting and finance, I’d say the main difference is the focus. In consulting, it’s about big-picture problem-solving, like helping a client expand into... (read entire answer)