Hi there,

from a strategic point of view, you should exactly do that. As you said, you are hedging your bets because you don't have certainty yet. The company you are interning with will typically not know what you do in terms of recruiting elsewhere if they don't get the information directly from you.

The only thing that would reflect poorly on you is if you were to neglect or deprioritize your assignment duties as an intern in order to attend another company's coffee chat. So whatever you do, make sure you portrait maximum effort at your internship as this is closely correlated to your chances of actually receiving a return offer there.

Best of luck

Hi there,

First of all, I am sorry to hear about your concerns regarding the potential jeopardy of your return offer!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your situation:

• First, unless you tell them or someone sees you during the coffee chat and recognizes the other person, I don't see any way they could find out. I have a feeling you're overthinking the situation a bit.
• Moreover, even if they did find out, that's not a bad thing. On the contrary, you could also tell them that if they offered you a return offer, you would accept it immediately (if that were the case).

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

(edited)

No, don't worry about this. 

Everybody is aware that at this point, you want to maximise your chance of getting a full time offer. 

All of the people in the firm have been in your shoes. 

So as long as your coffee chatting doesn't get in the way of your work during the internship, you have nothing to worry about. 

You might also find this article helpful:

Expert Guide: How To Handle Networking Calls and Get Referrals

Best,

Cristian

Hi there,

You doing a summer internship with an MBB is not a limit to expand your professional network, whatever objective you have. 

I encourage you to do it, not only to diversify your risk in case you don't get a full time offer but also to amplify your options in the future.

Best,

Alberto

Your networking shouldn't be a problem.

One, the other firms would likely not come to know, and two they likely expect that you would be networking any how.

Just be professional in your networking approach. No need to say negative things about your internship in any way. Keep your full-time recruiting reasons clear and professional.

If you need to discuss and sharpen your networking pitch then pls let me know - happy to help!

Hi there, 

 It's perfectly acceptable to explore your options by networking with other firms.

However, to maintain a positive perception within your current firm, it's best to conduct your networking activities discreetly and outside of office hours. While you explore other opportunities, prioritize delivering exceptional performance in your internship to maximize your chances of receiving a return offer.

Best regards,

Ashwin 

Hey! 

That's definitively no problem at all! I was in all three interview processes of McKinsey, Bain & BCG - and finally did ⅔ internships.

Also, I had the feeling that you are getting even more interesting for the respective firms if you have cross-offers.

Good luck! :) 

Alessa 

It's fair game and perceived as fair game. It can also make you look more interesting.

The only caveat is that it can never come at the expense of project performance of working hours availability. Because your internship has to be perceived as being your top priority.

Hi there,

You are a free person and can meet whomever you want for coffee chats, the same as your target firm is interviewing hundreds of people besides you.

This has 0 impact on your chances with your target firm.

All the best for the internship!

Cheers,

Florian