Does ER recruit out of undergrad/timeline

  1. People on here typically say that ER is typically an exit for people in accounting or industries of a similar nature but do ER offices commonly recruit out of undergrad?
  2. If so what’s the timeline like for that, I heard it’s less structured than IB, but what exactly does that mean?
7 Comments
 

Equity Research (ER) does recruit out of undergrad, but the process is less structured compared to Investment Banking (IB). Here's a breakdown based on the most helpful WSO content:

  1. Recruitment Out of Undergrad:
    Yes, ER offices do recruit undergraduates, though the volume of recruitment is generally smaller compared to IB. Many research associates in ER come directly from undergrad, especially for roles in sectors that don't necessarily require advanced degrees like MBAs or CFAs. However, there is also a significant number of ER professionals who transition from accounting or similar industries.

  2. Timeline and Structure:

    • The ER recruitment timeline is less structured than IB. While IB follows a rigid and predictable recruiting cycle (e.g., summer internships leading to full-time offers), ER hiring tends to be more ad hoc and dependent on immediate team needs.
    • This means that ER roles may open up throughout the year rather than being concentrated in a specific recruiting season.
    • Candidates often need to be proactive, keeping an eye on openings and networking with professionals in the field to identify opportunities.

In summary, while ER does recruit undergraduates, the process is more flexible and less predictable than IB, requiring candidates to be more self-driven in their job search efforts.

Sources: https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/equity-research/career-ladder-equity-research-vs-investment-banking-a-definitive-guide-part-3?customgpt=1, Career Ladder: Equity Research vs. Investment Banking - (A Definitive Guide, Part 3), Why are you still trying to break into equity research?, Exit-Ops: Equity Research vs. Investment Banking - (A Definitive Guide, Part 2), ER Career Paths

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

Analysts generally publish research, associate are the juniors (externally).

Internally many banks still use the analyst, assoc, vp progression but externally, for licensing/publishing reasons its just associate/analyst. 

 

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