Moving into ER from a sales/advisory background (UK)

Hi all,

I am currently working in an equity sales / advisory hybrid role with close to 3 years of experience, with quite a strong technical focus around financials, research, valuation models etc. Want to do a lateral move into equity research, yet unsure as to which roles to go for (hiring market seems very tight but diff story). 
 

Question do I have a chance a) going for specific openings posted online that require 1-2 years of equity research/banking/accounting experience and compete with people that were let go say from IB / or may have other more relevant experience, or b) wait for grad recruitment / entry level roles for 2024 to open up, apply for those but then also start from scratch again?
 

Do appreciate any pointers as to how equity research recruitment works. Is most done directly through grad roles? Doesn't seem like there's a lot of roles open for lateral moves, esp at the moment. 
 

Thanks vm!