Finance Outreach That Gets Replies

Reviewed by Fallon Han· Updated 2026-06-01 06:09:28.000

This conversation was generated using Cook'd AI's career assistant and reviewed by Fallon Han from our editorial team for accuracy.

I am a first-year economics major in the U.S. on an F-1 visa and I want to break into boutique investment banking in New York. How do I find the right contacts on LinkedIn, and what should my first message look like if I want it to sound polished but not pushy?

Start with a tight target list, not random outreach. On LinkedIn, search for analysts, associates, and alumni at boutique banks in New York, then filter by your school, hometown, internships, or shared groups. Build a list of 20 to 30 people. For each person, note one reason they are relevant: same school, same city, or a bank you actually want. That gives you a natural reason to message them. Your first note should be short, specific, and easy to answer. Structure: 1. Who you are 2. Why them 3. One simple ask Example: Hi [First Name], I am a first-year economics student at [School] and I am exploring boutique investment banking in New York. I came across your profile and appreciated your path into [Bank]. If you have 10 minutes sometime, I would love to ask a couple of questions about your experience. Thank you. Keep it friendly, not desperate, and do not attach a resume in the first message.

That helps. How do I actually decide who to contact first if I have alumni, people from my hometown, and random bankers from firms I like? Should I prioritize one group over the others?

Yes. Prioritize in this order: 1. Warmest connection first Start with alumni, people from your hometown, or any shared organization. These are easiest to convert. 2. Target the right role Focus on analysts and associates first. They are more likely to reply than senior bankers. 3. Firms you truly want Pick boutiques in New York where you can name why they fit your goals. Quality matters more than volume. A practical approach is to make three lists: - List A: alumni and hometown connections at target banks - List B: people at target banks with one shared interest or background - List C: direct targets with no connection Send messages in that order. If you get no response from List A after a few tries, move to List B and then List C. That way you build momentum with the highest-probability contacts first.

Okay, can you give me a step-by-step outreach plan for the first two weeks, including when to send follow-ups if someone does not respond?

Absolutely. Use a simple two-week system. Day 1 to Day 2 - Build your list of 20 to 30 contacts - Send 5 to 7 initial messages per day - Keep each one personalized with one specific detail Day 4 to Day 5 - If no reply, send a short follow-up - Do not repeat the full original message - Make it lighter and easier to answer Example follow-up: Hi [First Name], just wanted to follow up on my note from earlier this week. I know you are busy, but I would really value 10 minutes to learn about your path into [Bank]. Thank you either way. Day 8 to Day 10 - If still no response, send one last follow-up - Keep it polite and brief Example second follow-up: Hi [First Name], I wanted to close the loop on my earlier messages. I know schedules are tight, so no worries if now is not a good time. If you are open to a quick chat later this month, I would appreciate it. After that, stop. Do not keep pushing the same person. Move on and keep expanding the list.

What if I want the first message to sound a little more natural and less like a template? Can you give me a few polished examples I could adapt?

Yes. The best messages sound specific, concise, and human. Here are three examples you can adapt: Example 1, school connection: Hi [First Name], I am a first-year economics student at [School] and noticed we both have a connection to [School or shared background]. I am exploring boutique investment banking in New York and would love to hear about your experience at [Bank] if you have a few minutes. Example 2, firm interest: Hi [First Name], I came across your profile while learning more about [Bank]. I am a first-year econ student on an early path toward investment banking and thought your background looked especially relevant. I would appreciate any advice you might share. Example 3, hometown connection: Hi [First Name], I noticed we are both from [Hometown], and I am currently a first-year economics major at [School] interested in boutique investment banking. If you are open to it, I would love to ask a couple of quick questions about your career path. A good rule is to keep it under 4 sentences. If you can remove a sentence without losing meaning, do it.

If someone accepts my connection request but still does not reply, what should I send next? I do not want to sound annoying.

Great question. After they accept, wait one to three days, then send a light, specific follow-up that gives them an easy response. Try this: Hi [First Name], thanks for connecting. I am very interested in learning about your experience at [Bank], especially since I am trying to understand the boutique banking path as a first-year econ student. Would you be open to a quick conversation sometime in the next couple of weeks? If they still do not respond, send one more message about a week later: Hi [First Name], I wanted to follow up once more in case my previous note got buried. No rush at all, but if you are open to sharing any advice on getting started in investment banking, I would really appreciate it. This keeps the tone respectful. The goal is to be easy to say yes to, not to pressure them.