How to Get Started Networking for Finance Roles
Last Updated: November 20, 2025
If you’re applying for an internship or analyst position in finance, you already know that networking is one of the most influential parts of the recruiting process. Building meaningful relationships can expand your understanding of the industry and increase your chances of having your resume reviewed by the right people.
Successful networking is never random. Sending sporadic outreach emails or relying solely on cold LinkedIn messages often leads to inconsistent results. Instead, students should develop a systematic, organized, and thoughtful process. Here’s how to get started.
Begin with the Right Mindset
Before conducting a single search or sending a single email, approach networking as a chance to learn, not as a transaction.
You want people to feel good about the interaction, not just themselves. Professionals respond best to students who are curious, prepared, and respectful of their time.
“If you ask for advice, you might get a job. If you ask for a job, you’ll only get advice.” - Stephanie Hockman, The Coffee Chat Podcast Episode 36
This mindset of curiosity over extraction is the foundation of effective networking in finance.
Finding Contacts
Start with your closest circles:
Alumni networks
Student organizations
Finance clubs
Professional or academic associations
Most successful candidates, however, go beyond this base. LinkedIn remains the most efficient tool for identifying professionals across investment banking, private equity, corporate finance, and other high finance roles.
LinkedIn Premium
For around $60/month, LinkedIn Premium offers:
Unlimited advanced search
Extended network visibility
Greater insight into second- and third-degree connections
This allows you to uncover more potential contacts once you’ve connected with someone in the industry.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator
For around $100/month, LinkedIn Sales Navigator includes everything in LinkedIn Premium plus:
Even more advanced search options
Lead lists to organize saved professionals
Many students subscribe for a month or two, long enough to build a comprehensive list of contacts, then cancel.
When conducting searches, filter by:
University alumni working in the finance industry
Specific investment banks or firms
Organizations, such as a business fraternity, business organization, social fraternity or sorority, or scholarship organization
This creates a targeted, relevant list of professionals to approach.
Finding and Verifying Email Addresses
Once you have a contact’s name and the company they work for, you have everything you need to find their email address. We recommend reaching out to professionals over email rather than LinkedIn, because email is better at getting their attention and is still the most reliable way to reach busy finance professionals.
Every company has their own email format or template. For example, if you were interested in speaking with a finance professional at Goldman Sachs, you could search the internet for the Goldman Sachs email format which is “firstname.lastname@gs.com”.
Tools like Hunter.io and RocketReach can help you find email addresses. Once you have identified the email address, verify that it is a legitimate email using MailTester.
You should test the email before you send it to avoid the email not getting to the intended recipient. For example, if you find Johnathan Doe who works at Goldman Sachs, his email could be johnathan.doe@gs.com or john.doe@gs.com. Verifying email accuracy demonstrates the same level of diligence expected in the finance world – and saves yourself some time.
Creating a Networking List
Once you’ve collected all the contact info for the individuals you’d like to reach out to, create an Excel spreadsheet to track:
Name
Firm
Email
Location
Phone number
Last contact date
Notes about conversations
Add columns for any other relevant information you find. Segmentation via tabs by city or firm helps you stay organized during recruiting season.
Most importantly, update the sheet after each interaction to stay current with who you have talked to, when you spoke to them, and when it is appropriate to follow up.
Final Advice: Focus on Quality
Effective networking requires both breadth and depth, but quality must come first. One strong conversation often leads to several warm introductions. Professionals are more likely to advocate for you if they feel you’ve approached them thoughtfully.
By approaching networking with intention, curiosity, and professionalism, you’ll build meaningful connections that support your long-term career in finance.
