I'm a long time lurker and reader of the forums and they've helped me considerably through my UG and into the role.
Background:
Second generation immigrant - quite standard, parents have a corner store and no education, state-schooled throughout. No-one in family in the industry, first heard about it through a school run stock picking competition. Grades were great until I went and screwed up a Cambridge offer for NatSci by taking my eye of the prize. Spent a year after A-levels working in retail/fast food in order to save money to pay for uni-halls rent etc. Ended up studying Physics at a decent but mid-tier university (Southampton/Surrey/Manchester/Cardiff type). Started exploring careers in the gap year and had eye set on S&T. Spent most of Uni first/second years focused on recruitment vs. grades (though still maintained a decent 2.1). Started taking any decent internship/experience I could get (first summer spent in Compliance), networked my way into a few weeks on a trading desk shadowing. Eventually did a placement year in quant research at a large AM, really enjoyed that and decided to focus efforts into AM recruitment, multi-asset.
Analyst role out of uni was working on a macro fund (within a large AM) in investment strategy and portfolio construction, I have no moved to a Junior PM role in systematic multi-asset with some TAA responsibilities at a large AM.
The team and culture at my current shop is the main reason I moved from my analyst role out of university (and wont't lie the comp bump as well), great reputation in the market, humble and good track-records. I was frustrated in the previous role for various reasons.
In my current role I split my time 25/25/25/25 - Research (reading/testing ideas), Coding, Running the portfolios (re balancing/cash/reg/ops type work) and Product Development. I primarily focus on the 'classic' multi-asset mandates, be it risk-targeted, premia etc. I am also heavily involved in designing and implementing my shops graduate/internship programs with HR.
Eventual goal is to get to a HF or a boutique AM. We'll see how it goes!
Happy to take any questions.
