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vmsp | 1 year ago

How does one get into the investment business?

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beezlebroxxxxxx|1 year ago

The comment you're replying to laid it out pretty clearly if you want to be a part of a hedge fund (as I interpret your question.) Know friends and family with money (a lot, hopefully) or, more commonly, have institutional connections. Have at least some connections and experience in finance/banking/investing (at a large scale, not small-fry stuff). Bring the two together with a lot of marketing and promises.

If you want to work in IB, then you basically need to go to a feeder school or have connections. The investment business is a lot of "look, we have the smartest people in the room to handle your money, trust us." They rely, like consulting, on selling the prestige of their employees education and social capital. You will sign on to working absurd hours, with the promise of making a lot of $$$ if you can survive (literally, a guy died this year at BofA).

smabie|1 year ago

Working in IB isn't related at all to actually making investments / trading though.

If you want to trade your best bet is apply for roles at prop shops and funds and avoid banks entirely

mtillman|1 year ago

Internship at a fund/CTA/market maker/wholesale bank. If older, go in through an ops position. Don't spend time at a retail bank.

pnetherwod|1 year ago

It depends what you want to do. Portfolio manager and quant research roles are rare and highly competitive but other roles in risk, ops or compliance are more common. It's an insiders market for sure.