Career change - AM

So, I'm looking to change careers. I currently work in an unrelated industry but have been considering making a shift into Asset Management, ideally on the investing rather than the sales or marketing side.

Unlike the US, there are few MBA opportunities at firms such as BlackRock or Vanguard here and I only want to invest in an MBA if it will maximise my chances. I'm hoping someone here knows more about how to transition best into such a position, as all the job openings I see require years of experience in investing.

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So, I'm looking to change careers. I currently work in an unrelated industry but have been considering making a shift into Asset Management, ideally on the investing rather than the sales or marketing side.

Really need some more background: do you work in financial services right now, i.e. investment banking, PE, sell-side research, or at least a corporate finance or valuation type role? If not, what is your current role?

If the answer to the above is no, it will be VERY difficult for you to directly move into a buy side role. Not impossible, but certainly low probability. You would really need to build some experience in financial analysis before becoming a better candidate for the buy side.

 
"undefined"
So, I'm looking to change careers. I currently work in an unrelated industry but have been considering making a shift into Asset Management, ideally on the investing rather than the sales or marketing side.

Really need some more background: do you work in financial services right now, i.e. investment banking, PE, sell-side research, or at least a corporate finance or valuation type role? If not, what is your current role?

If the answer to the above is no, it will be VERY difficult for you to directly move into a buy side role. Not impossible, but certainly low probability. You would really need to build some experience in financial analysis before becoming a better candidate for the buy side.

I should have mentioned that. No, I don't. I work in marketing at the moment in the non-profit sector. When you say financial analysis experience, do you mean an accounting type position at a F500 company?

 
"undefined"
Unlike the US, there are few MBA opportunities at firms such as BlackRock or Vanguard

Keep in mind that a lot of these roles, especially those at Vanguard, do not involve direct investing. These firms hire a lot of MBAs in rotational programs that rotate you between marketing, operations, compliance, etc.

Gotcha. But these MBA positions tend to be quite limited to the US. I'm based out in Europe and I've been struggling to find any real positions for fresh MBA grads here, except for Fidelity and at the odd BlackRock position.

 
I work in marketing at the moment in the non-profit sector. When you say financial analysis experience, do you mean an accounting type position at a F500 company?

A MBA would definitely help you transition to the for-profit sector. Without any experience in financial analysis, you will be very hard pressed to move into an investing role though. You should probably think about what your long term goals are and work back from there. You're talking about a huge transition and it isn't something to take lightly. You need a plan better than "I'm thinking about moving into Asset Management."

 
"undefined"
I work in marketing at the moment in the non-profit sector. When you say financial analysis experience, do you mean an accounting type position at a F500 company?

A MBA would definitely help you transition to the for-profit sector. Without any experience in financial analysis, you will be very hard pressed to move into an investing role though. You should probably think about what your long term goals are and work back from there. You're talking about a huge transition and it isn't something to take lightly. You need a plan better than "I'm thinking about moving into Asset Management."

Thanks for the help!

 

I have seen folks move from completely unrelated sectors into AM, S&T, Risk, etc. Keep in mind though that this is in the US and relatively few folks actually manage to pull it off.. They got a professional designation like CFA, etc. before going for their MBA.. and leveraged that designation as an indication of their interest & seriousness in a career switch.. Of course, they could talk intelligently about finance as a result of acquiring those designations too, which must have helped during the technicals..

 

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