Moving from SS ER to LO
Pretty much in the title... currently work for a rockstar analyst in a solid sector (#1 II-ranked in software/fintech/healthcare @ BB). Went to a top target and want to exit to a LO at some point. What should I be doing to best facilitate this?
Read articles in my signature.
bumping
https://dicktoad.substack.com/p/dicks-take-on-breaking-into-the-buy?r=gn9sy
https://dicktoad.substack.com/p/what-doesnt-work-in-buy-side-job?r=gn9sy
There's not much more you need to know than the above articles. They sum up pretty much what you need to know to a T.
Don't do it, go into IR and save your soul. I kid a bit but I'll tell you the best days of LO are truly behind us. The days of top analysts making 1+ml working 40-45hrs per week are over, a top analyst now will make 600-800k working 50-60hrs per week -- which is still good but you need to fast forward this 15yrs, wouldn't be shocked if top analysts worked for 500-700k in those same hours given shift to passive + fee compression (which sounds good but remember there's 3% inflation per year after this all normalizes). Hours might also go up, who knows. Either way, sucks to get here a generation too late esp. as Analyst roles become far and few in between
Honestly wondering if it's better to exit to IR in a few years, or perhaps upstream into the allocation side. Dunno
This seems to be happening across the buyside (at least in public markets) as the sector as a whole matures. I think 7-figure comp is only possible at this point if you’re a very senior analyst at a large privately owned shop—and those places tend to be the pickiest, obviously.
I’m an intern at a shop like that, but because of the issues you’ve raised with the industry/investing at large, I’m keeping my options open. Good thing I know how to code…I might also go into product or sales, who knows. It just feels like at this point, most investment professionals are paid a lot of money for adding little to no value, and I have to wonder how long that’ll last.
Hey I'm curious about your potential thoughts about IR. I'm in LO and although I very much agree with you, I think LO is still a solid gig. I think you can absolutely today still end up with solid career prospects if you can get a good seat.
You also mention the asset allocation side of things, where a number of people at my company have moved to, including an analyst I worked with previously. He left my shop for a different large shop that probably doesn't have the same notoriety as my current shop, but is also fairly large. He told me that he thinks that space will be the future of LO and that moving away from my shop was one of the better ways he could have taken his career. Also wondering if you are at all looking to do the same in the future.
So funny seeing the “grass is greener” mentality on here. I’ve now done IB, PE, and public equities. Everyone complaining and dying to jump ship every step of the way. I saw my MBA classmates have the exact same attitude towards consulting, product management, software engineering, and entrepreneurship. I haven’t done IR but can all but assure you it won’t be this chill, intellectually stimulating, and high-paying panacea you’re futilely looking for
Each finance gig has its pros and its cons- the only question is which one suits your personality and desire
"grass is greener" is mad real.
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