ER to AM

I am really not happy with my current ER role, and have been looking at alternatives to get out. One reason I am stuck in my current role is that I only really started in July and was working in more of a middle office (no equities related work whatsoever) for 1 year.

I really do enjoy equity analysis, but dont like the sector, the company culture and feel like more of an excel monkey. I have been talking to a few college friends of mine, and pretty much everyone has said that its best to wait for 1 more year since exit ops into AM become better with 2 year WE. I was wondering how true is that and how do I really need to prepare myself for an AM role at a top place.