Moving on from a niche AM role to investments

I've been working as an analyst (data analyst masquerading with a "quant" title) for a buy side AM firm for the last 5 years within front office research. I'm really interested in having an investment role but see no opportunities for that at my firm, does going for an MBA put me in a better position for getting such roles? What doesn't help is the conflict of my title vs what i do, handling questions on the quantitative experiences has been awkward at best during interviews and tellingly hasn't gone well. Any advice is appreciated, I'm totally lost on what I should be doing at this point to get out of this. If anything I don't want to do what i do now as it's all reporting/support and is dead-end.

3 Comments
 

Have to be a bit more specific Is it 1.) a primary research role that some of the middle markets have? 2.) something on the marketing side so front office but not investments 3.) a trading assistant/portfolio analyst type role or 4.) basically a back office role but is titled quantitative analyst or something? And so you don’t know stats/econometrics/python etc?

in which case 

option 1 learn those skills and “fake it till you make it”

option 2 mba reset to sellside then buyside or direct buyside if you really hustle

Option 3 self study and land a boutique/potential pay cut willing to “give you a shot”

this likely captures the bulk of potential options unless you’re a portfolio or trading analyst in which case try to lateral somewhere with possibility to move j to Tracdinf or pm roles down the line
 

 

Appreciate your response. I use SQL/Python/R to run reports and maintain processes/tools. I've built logic in these programming languages that helps with investment decisions with a ranking/rating system, however this is purely a data delivery/support function, I don't do any research or analysis on them though my title is a quantitative analyst. I suppose the role is more Middle/back office though i sit with front office research, support both FI and Multi-asset teams.

 
Most Helpful

Quia unde odit nobis saepe id explicabo. Maxime qui velit sed. Enim est et in ut voluptatibus rerum ratione. Odio fuga esse atque velit magnam.

Hic nulla omnis delectus accusantium eum asperiores quaerat. Minus aut quis et exercitationem sit. Qui sed facilis molestias quibusdam harum voluptatem. Eveniet et suscipit et voluptas dolor. Non rerum qui repellat totam. Dolorem ut id voluptatem quia vitae fuga magnam.

Possimus quia quas incidunt. Ipsa harum iure maxime reprehenderit aut. Sequi perferendis repellendus nisi rem ullam.

Autem et suscipit qui quia odit qui. Cumque enim ut aspernatur occaecati vitae iusto omnis.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan No 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”