Can I get a job in a global Asset Management firm if I don't go to a target school? (Australia)

Hi guys.

I am currently in high school and I want to pursue a career in Hedge Funds. The pathway I want to use to get into Hedge Funds is through AM, ideally in Fixed Income research or Equity research in an AM. Now I am going to keep it short and sweet. If I get a good internship with a Hedge Fund or AM firm. Could I get into a global Asset Management Firm in Sydney if I go to a good but not top tier university (UTS)? I'm stressing that when I leave Uni I won't be able to find a job in AM in Australia since I didn't go to the most prestigious uni in Sydney.

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Best Response

No, I would suggest more along the lines either either sell-side equities research or fixed income research. Figure out which one you want because it is extremely difficult to switch asset class - people tend to get pigeonholed pretty quickly.

In Australia, IBD tends not to lead to roles in AM (and arguably HF, for which the industry is tiny). What I'm trying to say is that sell-side research lets you build your skills and develop a network with both corporates and clients.

There are some fund managers that have structured grad programs such as Colonial, BT and Perpetual. But the application process is highly competitive and one of these places might take 2-3 grads for front ofice roles. Some numbers have been bandied about online and you should look them up.

Hope that helps.

 

Just for my own interest, what are considered target business schools in Aus? UNSW? Melbourne?

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

There's no real concept of what is a target or non-target. People will debate this issue ad nauseum.

As a guide, the Group of 8 (Go8) is probably the most common indicator. The group includes UNSW, USyd, Melbourne, Monash, Uni of Queensland, Uni of WA, ANU and Uni of Adelaide. That said, the classification isn't something I would take as gospel and isn't a major determinant of one's career path.

 

Despite which UNI you choose, you may want to start thinking of ways to distinguish yourself from your peers as good grades is often not enough. Extracurricular activities that make your CV stand out will assist getting an internship, which ultimately makes you more competitive for grad programs.

 

These guys are being pretty nice, given you're in high school I trust I'm not late to the party - You should definitely be looking to transfer to USyd or UNSW, this is relatively achievable if you do well in your first year of studies - make sure you develop some good interests to add to your resume as grades are a very small part of the process.

It's very hard to get into a Global firm if you didn't go to a 'Globally' ranked University - and in NSW you only have two options.

 

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