Lifestyle in Asset Management?

Undergrad in Finance with Non-target MBA & 5 years industry experience. Considering taking level I of CFA next June to help with a transition from corporate finance/FP&A to Asset Management. I definitely want to make the career change but am hoping to understand how big of a lifestyle change I'm looking at. I currently work 7:30 - 5:30 M-F (45ish hours per week) and have 3 weeks of vacation. What are the average hours per week and vacation time in asset management? How about total compensation for someone coming in with my background? (assuming I can get in)

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ladubs111hours would be more typically 8-6 pm M-F, not too many weekends from my short stint at a mutual fund. Earning seasons like now you should expect to be working a bit longer but besides that pretty easy hours. Couldn't tell you about comp based on your background, I know they usually pay 120kish for MBA grads, not sure what bonuses are set at.

Good information, thanks. How about vacation? Do you still get at least 10 business days off each year?

 

Vacation depends on the firm but I've seen 3 weeks at the junior level and up to 5 weeks once you've been with firms long enough. Asset management is a very good lifestyle

 
Best Response
The Biz KidVacation depends on the firm but I've seen 3 weeks at the junior level and up to 5 weeks once you've been with firms long enough. Asset management is a very good lifestyle

The best lifestyle I'd guess. Though I guess some places probably work you pretty hard, most don't. My first two years of work at an AM-ish firm were literally a standard 9-5, but you could easily show up at noon and nobody would care or even notice. Performance is all that matters in AM for the most part.

 

That's pretty vague. Different strategies require different hours, IE long-only, deep value funds require alot more hours than a quant fund.

 

are you opting for a summer internship position? finish work early + be rigorously efficient + excellent speaking skills + ability to multitask + start very early/ finish early you've got to have some charisma + remain dynamic throughout

that's about it yes some computer skills too no quant skill needed

ability to learn very quickly ( how diff investmt products are structured and reasons why they are worth it: etc )

"What we can, we must; and because we can, we must"
 

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