Can I pursue Sales and Trading and still become a Portfolio Manager in the long run? Or would Equity Research be a better Career?

Hi,

So I am a junior in college looking for an internship in Sales and Trading or Equity Research, in hopes to start my career in one of these paths out of college. I want to become a portfolio management in the long run and I am wondering which area would be best suited for this exit opportunity. I am in love with the trading aspect but I am not so sure in the long run the exit opportunities are there, am I wrong or is that true?

Also, if anyone would provide which of these two: Sales and Trading, Equity Research, would have greater exit opportunities to break into Portfolio management.

Thanks!

7 Comments
 

Yea I appreciate the advice. That does answer most of it, I just wanted to know which pathway would be better but you are right as to which desk and specialty (equities or fixed income) matters. Preferably equities but I know most S&T is FI. Trading exit ops I hear are great for hedge funds too but they are execution traders, so my next question would be; can execution traders transition into PM?

 

Fuck that's a tough one, at a LO I'll say it's incredibly hard (not impossible) to be a Trader at a BB and transition to buyside and become a PM, most remain as Dealers on the buyside (still making incredible money for really just pushing a button and managing relationships btw). The thing is I can't speak for a HF but just from doing my own personal reading I'd say it's a lot easier to become a PM at a HF coming from a Trading role at a BB, specifically in Rates/Macro Trading. Equities again I'd say it's probably a lot more difficult but i'm not too sure and someone with more knowledge on the situation can probably chime in.

 

I thought trading was coveted in credit?? Clearly I was wrong then.

For reference, this PM prioritised exposure and deep macro knowledge. Not just news about macro variables changing but developing a pattern from recurring movements to enhance the investing decision (predictability - if this then that). I'm not completely sure though, I'm just starting to get into understanding recruiting

 

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