Human resourcefulness

Bergdorf Goodman Men’s Store

Even if you’re not yet in a position to drop $225 on a Ermenegildo Zegna twill shirt, it’s a good bet that most of the customers here are. Complimenting one of them on his taste in $200 ties is an easy way to strike up conversation, and perhaps it’ll lead to your being able to drop six months of your current rent on a single new suit. 745 Fifth Ave at 58th St (212-753-7300)

Michael’s Restaurant

After 14 years, the reservation list still reads like a who’s who of the city’s showbiz and fashion-industry elites. Here, News Corp president Peter Chernin could announce a deal in the works, simply by sharing a table with another mogul. 24 W 55th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves (212-767-0555)

Yale/Harvard/Princeton Clubs

It doesn’t necessarily take an Ivy League degree to get into one of these refined alumni clubhouses, but it does take convincing someone who has such a degree to sign you in as their guest. With more than 11,400 members at the Harvard Club alone, there is no telling which power broker you might bump into browsing in the library. Just try not to mention that your own education was completed within the hallowed halls of the University of Phoenix. Yale Club: 50 Vanderbilt Ave between 44th and 45th Sts; Harvard Club: 27 W 44th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves; Princeton Club: 15 W 43rd St between Fifth and Sixth Aves.

Photo: Jodi Love

Barclay Rex Tobacconist

Strategically located less than a block from the global headquarters of Goldman Sachs, Barclay Rex has a massive front window, which provides an unparalleled view of investment bankers in their natural habitat. The palm rubbing starts early, when the shop opens at 8am. Even if CEO Lloyd Blankfein doesn’t personally stop in for a smoke, you’re sure to meet some of the executives who shared in Goldman’s $16 billion bonus payout last year. 75 Broad St at South William St (212-962-3355)

Photo: Jeff Gurwin

Sotheby’s

With more than 1,000 elite New Yorkers turning up to bid upwards of $100 million on a single Picasso, this famed auction house is fertile territory for finding a future benefactor. Registering to sit in with the bidders is a simple process that usually requires only a driver’s license, though it might help to study up on the art for sale so you can impress Larry Gagosian. The next auction is September 1. 1334 York Ave at 72nd St (212-606-7000)

The Core Club

Purporting to represent the best in “talent, influence and ideas,” this is where megafinancier Carl Icahn comes to chat about investment banking to members that include Jay-Z and Kenneth Cole. Alas, the $60,000 membership fee and fingerprint scanner at the door make the Core Club among the hardest parties to crash in the entire city. Try scoring a job as a bartender or receptionist, and stay only as long as it takes to meet the right person. 66 E 55th St between Madison and Park Aves (212-381-7800)

Photo: Jodi Love

The Campbell Apartment

Bankers and brokers of all salary levels miss their trains home while chatting over drinks at this hidden gem. The social atmosphere and dim lighting, not to mention the strong 1920s-era cocktails, make this a good bet for gaining useful acquaintances (including singles, if that’s your thing). Grand Central Terminal, 15 Vanderbilt Ave at 43rd St (212-953-0409)

Balthazar

This Soho hot spot doesn’t offer a $1.99 egg-on-a-roll breakfast, but what it does offer in the AM hours is a chance to chat up the big names of New York’s reborn Silicon Alley. The almost social-club atmosphere during breakfast means it’s conducive to meet-and-greet with future bosses like Rufus Griscom, the chief executive of Nerve, whose offices, like those of Daily Candy, The Huffington Post and Gawker Media, are within easy walking distance. 80 Spring St at Crosby St (212-965-1414)