ER or AM: What is the actual difference as a junior?

Hi guys, 

what would be the actual differences in day-to-day work for a junior in a research position on the sell-side (ER) and buy-side (AM)? I guess ER will have more writing in terms of distributable reports, while in AM this might all be done internal and less formalized? Client contact should also be relatively similar right? And lastly, for sector specialization, I know that in ER you become highly specialized from the beginning on which I actually find a huge drawback. How is this in AM? 

5 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Writing is correct. Probably other bullshit admin that goes with writing reports. As a junior in sell-side, you probably start ideating a slower pace than on BS

What clients would you be contacting as a junior buyside ER analyst? I don't really think any. More likely to be talking to people who you are clients of e.g. sell-side.

In sell-side you'd definitely be having client calls in your junior years. Maybe not the first year but yeah.

You can be sector-specialised in AM too, depends how the shop runs. Some are generalist, many are sector specialist.

 

What you mentioned about idea generation might be true. I feel that ER is very restricting into actually learning to invest and generate ideas as you are basically from day 1 forced to focus on just a handful of stocks and more or less just tracking them over time instead of actually finding companies to invest, am I thinking the right way? But then again this will probably be the same for buyside as you wont get to pitch new ideas every week but instead mostly track your fund holdings.

 

That is a great way of phrasing it thanks!! 
One more, does ER sell-side involve actually selling and talking to buyside clients or is that entirely Equity Sales territory?

 

Deleniti voluptatem enim et. Vero voluptatem quo consequuntur autem labore. Cupiditate sunt laboriosam nihil est et rerum recusandae. Dolores itaque delectus aut eum ducimus. Nemo id doloremque ipsa ut officiis.

Qui quia delectus aut ipsum voluptatem laboriosam sapiente. Voluptatem illum quia rerum illo voluptas animi quos. Nesciunt ut omnis aut animi maiores molestias non. Voluptatem perferendis perferendis in est quisquam enim. Temporibus magni quisquam aliquid numquam quia eaque esse. Perspiciatis nesciunt sequi necessitatibus autem.

Tempore fugiat maiores aspernatur. Sunt nesciunt autem id perspiciatis ut ratione.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (66) $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

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...”