Advice on handling a networking email Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm pretty new to this process, but want to make sure I get it right. Here's the situation I'm fortunate enough to be in:

I worked for three summers at a sleepaway sports camp, coaching and living with 8-15 year old boys. I had quite a few "favorite" kids, most of them being the kids who were really interested in the sports I coached. The camp is relatively small (like 200 kids/60 counselors) and has a family-type atmosphere, where you really get to know the kids closely over the years. As it turns out, two of my favorite kids have a dad who is the hiring attorney and a high-achieving partner in a large (but not incredibly prestigious) NYC firm.

I had one of the kids in my "group" for the summer, have met the dad on multiple occasions. Always a nice, fun guy who was willing to talk law school shop with me whenever I wanted (going back to my first summer when I was just mildly interested). He knows me as one of his kids' favorite counselors, a guy who took up a lot of time with his sons coaching them football, etc. I was invited to their bar mitzvah last fall, but was unable to attend (1000 miles away, bummer).

He's relatively familiar with me, but only on the camp level. His firm does have an active summer program, but they only take a handful of summers each year (~10ish).

How should I approach him? I know he'd certainly be willing to provide me with advice, and I know he's a person who is in a position to help me even if it's not with an offer. As the hiring partner, I assume he'd be a perfect person to ask about all things interview/resume/personality/etc. Also has pretty intimate knowledge of the NYC market being from there and having worked there for 20 years.

I'm going to law school many, many states away (SMU/UHLC), but obviously wouldn't mind putting my connections to use if possible.

So, ideas on how to approach this? In an email? Phone call? Through his kids (one is 15 now)?

TIA.

[HBK]

I'm pretty new to this process, but want to make sure I get it right. Here's the situation I'm fortunate enough to be in:

I worked for three summers at a sleepaway sports camp, coaching and living with 8-15 year old boys. I had quite a few "favorite" kids, most of them being the kids who were really interested in the sports I coached. The camp is relatively small (like 200 kids/60 counselors) and has a family-type atmosphere, where you really get to know the kids closely over the years. As it turns out, two of my favorite kids have a dad who is the hiring attorney and a high-achieving partner in a large (but not incredibly prestigious) NYC firm.

I had one of the kids in my "group" for the summer, have met the dad on multiple occasions. Always a nice, fun guy who was willing to talk law school shop with me whenever I wanted (going back to my first summer when I was just mildly interested). He knows me as one of his kids' favorite counselors, a guy who took up a lot of time with his sons coaching them football, etc. I was invited to their bar mitzvah last fall, but was unable to attend (1000 miles away, bummer).

He's relatively familiar with me, but only on the camp level. His firm does have an active summer program, but they only take a handful of summers each year (~10ish).

How should I approach him? I know he'd certainly be willing to provide me with advice, and I know he's a person who is in a position to help me even if it's not with an offer. As the hiring partner, I assume he'd be a perfect person to ask about all things interview/resume/personality/etc. Also has pretty intimate knowledge of the NYC market being from there and having worked there for 20 years.

I'm going to law school many, many states away (SMU/UHLC), but obviously wouldn't mind putting my connections to use if possible.

So, ideas on how to approach this? In an email? Phone call? Through his kids (one is 15 now)?

TIA.

Don't do it through his kids. You're an adult now. Talk to him like an adult- email or phone call. But keep it casual, like you want help and don't expect him to give you a job.

/0L with lots of networking experience

[TommyK]

Don't do it through his kids. You're an adult now. Talk to him like an adult- email or phone call. But keep it casual, like you want help and don't expect him to give you a job.

/0L with lots of networking experience

Pretty credited. Your relationships transends your relationship with the kid. So I wouldn't rely on that. If it were me, I would reach out to him via email, tell him you always appreciated his advice he had given you when you were just starting out. See if he would be willing to talk live as you're making your next transition and see if he can aid in your networking efforts.

[Anonymous User]

y not ask for a job?

[Geist13]

Definitely call; always call. If you'd like, maybe send a quick email just to let him know you have some questions and would love the chance to talk to him, if he is willing to share his time. Essentially you're just giving him a heads up that you will be calling so that it's not quite so out of the blue and he has a little bit of time to try and remember who you are. Maybe in the email ask if there is a specific time he'd be available to talk. I've never tried to connect with someone whom I haven't been able to meet in person so I'm not quite sure how to go about simply trying to speak with someone on the phone for an extended conversation (I despise talking on the phone). I assume that since you're in different states, you can't meet in person. However, if you can meet in person do that. It's really easy to ask someone if they'd be willing to have lunch with you (and you almost always get a free meal).

But don't try to "network" via emails. They are easy to ignore and do extremely little in terms of actually building a relationship with someone. And whatever you do, do not go through his children.

y not ask for a job? /2l with 37 contacts in the V100, 19 of which are partners who are gonna "bat" for me. oh yeah and my judge who is gonna "call every partner he knows at X, Y, Z firms [that im bidding on]" dont be a fucking pussy. law is for winners, and winners (a) know wat they want; (b) aggressively pursue it; (c) dont take no for an answer and never back down.

That's horrible advice. I'm sure when you initially met these contacts you did not say "hey brah, hook me up with one of those jobz you got over there."