I am preparing to apply to various business schools to earn an MBA. I would like to “pick the brain” of some people who are in finance and banking and have been through business school. I’d like their advice and also make some connections. They may know people or be able to help in some way.
I have found several guys I went to HS with who are where I want to be at or who attended schools I want to go to. For example, one is a VP at Merrill Lynch, a few went to Harvard Business School/Wharton/Sloan, 2 others are international bankers, and so on.
The problem is, I found this out through googling their names which I feel is stalkerish and also via Linkedin and/or Facebook. I haven’t talked to them in 18-19 years and in all cases, I wasn’t really friends with them or their circle (I went to a very big HS).
(One of them, the VP at merrill Lynch, was captain of the football team so we do have a connection there)
They’ll prob want to know how I know where they work and went to school and they know we don’t have the same friends so what are my options?
Should I get in touch via Linkedin and say that’s how I ran across their name? And what if they’re not on Linkedin?
I really want to tap all possible resources when it comes to getting into business school.
after highschool i moved to another state and went to private military school where i really ddn’t stay in touch with a lot of ppl from highschool. a few years later after i’d been working out a bunch i used facebook to get in touch with a lot of ppl from highschool and ended up banging a bunch of girls from HS that didn’t give me the time of day back when.
The proper thing to do would be to let them know how you found them. You can say something along the lines of ‘Hi, I was looking for old friends from on and your name came up. I see that you’re VP of poop now.’ And go from there.
[quote]johnnytang24 wrote:
The proper thing to do would be to let them know how you found them. You can say something along the lines of ‘Hi, I was looking for old friends from on and your name came up. I see that you’re VP of poop now.’ And go from there.[/quote]
I’m almost certain that a telegram or letter with a wax seal would be the most appropriate in such a situation. Personally, I would go with the letter with a wax seal, and use either the first letter of my last name or the Transformers Autobot symbol to stamp the wax.
Emails don’t get read go with the letter sealed with wax. Seriously. If you got a letter sealed with wax you’d read it immediately. Make sure to write your cover letter using a quill and calligraphy or at least print your name on a heavy weight paper leaving a space to sign your name neatly before mailing.
[quote]HolyMacaroni wrote:
not the exact train of thought but…
after highschool i moved to another state and went to private military school where i really ddn’t stay in touch with a lot of ppl from highschool. a few years later after i’d been working out a bunch i used facebook to get in touch with a lot of ppl from highschool and ended up banging a bunch of girls from HS that didn’t give me the time of day back when.
I think you probably shouldn’t contact them if you were never close in the first place. There are a million sources of career advice other than old high school classmates.
[quote]WestCoast7 wrote:
I’m almost certain that a telegram or letter with a wax seal would be the most appropriate in such a situation. Personally, I would go with the letter with a wax seal, and use either the first letter of my last name or the Transformers Autobot symbol to stamp the wax.[/quote]
It’s kind of a dick move to call them after 20 years and ask for something. I get that with people on my facebook at least once a month. I went to a big HS as well, so half of the people I barely remember. They either want me to give them a free mortgage or invest in their business or give them advice or something. While I don’t have a problem helping friends, I think it’s rude to ask for something with out offering value first.
At least reconnect on FB, take them out a few times and genuinely attempt to reconnect. Don’t ask them right away. If the relationship develops, ask when it is appropriate. Or they may volunteer to help you. But asking for something out of the blue is just low class.
What AC said. Esspecially if you weren’t even friends with any of these people, this is a strange thing to do. I’d be kind of weirded out of someone I went to highschool with, but didn’t ever talk to, contacted me and asked for something.
Ask when the time is right, but the time may never be right since there is no reconnecting with someone you were never connected with in the first place.
[quote]iflyboats wrote:
I think you probably shouldn’t contact them if you were never close in the first place. There are a million sources of career advice other than old high school classmates.[/quote]
What would you recommend?
I know there are counseling services for prospective MBA students. These services offer help with all facets of your application and even with selection of schools.
Problem is, the cheapest one I’ve seen is 2K and offers help with 2 schools. Other charge 3k and I even saw one that charges 3750 for just ONE application, and each add’l school you apply to is an extra fee.
I know there are lots of free sites too. So which one can you recommend?
[quote]angry chicken wrote:
At least reconnect on FB, take them out a few times and genuinely attempt to reconnect. Don’t ask them right away. If the relationship develops, ask when it is appropriate. Or they may volunteer to help you [/quote]
-I can try FB, see if they accept my friend request. I’m just worried that they’ll see I’m not friends with their friends and…maybe I’m overthinking that part.
See I don’t have 600 friends on FB. I’m at about a 100. I like to use FB to keep in touch with people I care about or see on a semi-regular basis. That’s about 60-70 people. (The rest are people whose friend requests I can’t really turn down )
BTW are you really offended when someone asks you for advice? Assuming its not professional advice that you make a living at?
