2027SA Recruiting Timeline + Comp in AM + Interview Prep???

What the title says- I'm a current Sophomore in college looking to get into Asset Management, and if possible, be an Equity Research Associate. I have some potential findings I want to be sure that I have correct + some questions about the industry. I feel like it's hard to find any in depth info about AM as opoosed to IB in which there's info everywhere being thrown in my face.

Recruiting: From my research it seems like the recruiting timeline is more pushed back compared to IB. It seems like larger institutional Asset Managers (BlackRock, Wellington, etc.) start recruiting for SA2027 in the spring of 2026 and BBs with an AM arm start recruiting in the Fall of 2026. 

Compensation: Given I end up at a BB or a LO AM it sounds like it's on par with IB comp in terms of base salary (100-110k) but then the bonus is less (40-60k) so all in it'd be on average like 150k, once again given that you're at a BB or LO AM

Qualifications/Interview prep: I'm kinda lost here/haven't really looked into what I should be doing to prep for AM interviews or what kind of experience AMs look for. I've just been doing what I would do if I was prepping for an IB interview so I'd appreciate some insight on this. I've interned at a search fund so far and joined my schools finance clubs + planning on doing some case competitions later.

Any insight here would be useful, as I mentioned I feel like it's hard to find info for AM, so hopefully this thread could also help out other people in a similar situation.

5 Comments
 
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timeline has accelerated alot. the LO AM like fidelity, dodge, wellington will start recruiting on ib timeline(jan 26). 

for the BB AMs or ones like blackrock, i would split it up into public vs private. I'm at a GS/MS/JPM AM in alts investing and we also started hiring in jan/feb 25 for sa 26. publics are slower but earlier than fall as well.
 

LO AM comp is very very attractive but they also hire people who have graduated so im not sure if fresh grads will be paid the same. for BB or blackrock, private investing can be paid the same as IB. publics side will be at a discount. another thing to note is that for BBs 60k is a pretty decent bonus for IB even- an1 bonuses being at 100% of base were COVID anomalies and only the boutiques will pay you this much these days.

 

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