{First Name},

As mentioned last week, recruiting starts early! In fact, we're advising clients to be ready this year more than ever to get an early start. Now is the time to differentiate yourself by reaching out and building connections that could pay off in the coming months and years ahead. This time last year, the recruiting environment was exceptionally dynamic - weak in some areas, but strength in many other areas. By the time internship recruiting starts in the fall, we could be facing a different situation again! That’s why preparation and clarity are more valuable than ever. We’re here to help.

Know what you want to do? Great! We will share lots of tools to get started.

However what if, like many people, you’re not entirely sure yet? There is work you can do to prepare yourself now so that when school starts, you’re confident and ready to go. We’ve outlined a few ways to get started below.

The 100 Week Sprint team

Got an hour? Begin to research paths of interest using LinkedIn.

Reaching out to alumni

After building an initial contact list from LinkedIn and through your school’s alumni database (if you have access), begin to plan your outreach. Alumni are often happy to help at this early stage before they are inundated through the formal recruiting process. You’ll want to be prepared for the discussions, which can take some time; however, you will be glad to have 5-10 solid connections before you start school. Set yourself a clear goal and start making connections. These email templates from UPenn and Mergers & Inquisitions can help you craft an effective outreach email. If you could use some help on where to start, or who to initially connect with, let us know. While it has become a cliche, it still is about who you know when pursuing your dreams!