Tips for Networking Calls

Advice for students preparing for networking calls with industry professionals.

Research the person you are calling. It may seem obvious, but you may be surprised how many don’t.

Ask them if they prefer a phone call or a Zoom meeting. Let them choose.

If they have children your age or older, address them by their honorific (Ms./Mr.), unless they specify otherwise. Err on the side of formality.

Refrain from asking open ended questions (e.g. “can you tell me about your career?”). If there’s something about the person’s career you’re genuinely curious about, refer to it specifically (e.g. “If you were to start again, would you still choose the finance industry or are there other areas that interest you more now?”).

Don’t be afraid to have an ask. Be as detailed as possible (e.g. I am applying to X,Y,Z companies. Do you know anyone there? If so, would you be willing to bring my CV to their attention if I draft an email for you to forward?)

Be conscious of time. Try to keep them under 15 minutes, and don’t be afraid to make them shorter if you have achieved your objective. Nobody will hold it against you for keeping a call short.

If you make an ask, make it easy for them to execute it. Provide specific details on what exactly you’re looking for that they can then forward with a short note to the relevant person/recruiter/etc. Do it in a new mail, not as a reply to a previous thread.

Keep them abreast of your progress, even if it doesn’t pan out as you had planned.

Bonus tip: Ask them if they have read something recently that they recommend. You may discover some gems out there.