Pathway to ER

I'm looking for some advice to break into Equity Research.

Here's my background: -undergraduate in statistics (2020) -professional background in data science, actuarial science, and financial derivatives -part-time mba at an m7 studying finance/Econ, officer of investment club -hoping to take and pass CFA lvl 1 in November

I’ve gotten a ton of mixed responses on how to break into the industry but am unsure on if I need to prepare to do an internship or not. Can anyone provide me with some guidance?

415 WSO Academy Equity Research Session Reviews: 4.84/5

Class of '18 Nov 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Equity Research Career Roadmap (optional)

“Aditya provided a pathway very specific for my background as a consultant looking for a career change. He provided additional resources I can look into and how to build a portfolio that will leverage my experience. ”

Springfield College

Class of '29 Sep 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Equity Research Mock Coffee Chat

“Michael gave me very practical, specific advice for breaking into equity research as a freshman. I came in with mixed results from past alumni and industry chats, and he showed me how to make them more useful. He advised tailoring the length and questions of each chat to the contact: start with a brief intro, then pivot to targeted questions tied to their role. For shorter calls, he suggested pinpoint questions that draw out actionable advice. When a contact works in a different area, he told me to phrase my interest broadly and then ask for insight into their team or function, so my goals line up with their work. He also changed how I prepare. He told me to read the analyst’s published reports or their firm’s research before the call and to bring one or two stock or sector ideas and ask for their take, which shows I’ve done my homework. He suggested using school resources like terminals and the finance club to gather sources and data. On building my resume, he recommended continuing to publish on a Substack or website, pursuing WSO or part-time research projects, and applying to the WSO equity research internship or similar programs, then adding the published pieces to my resume and portfolio. He also told me to join my school finance club and get Bloomberg access. Finally, he coached me to ask for introductions during the call when it comes up, to repeat the request in the thank-you email, and to explicitly ask who they’d recommend and offer to follow up. I left with clear action items I can start on right away.”

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Authored by: Certified Asset Management Professional - Research AnalystCertified Asset Management Pro

+14	Is Equity Research Dying - Where Are the Future Opportunites?	4	1w
+10	Associates who stuck around for > 5 years working for the same analyst. Why?	4	1w
+9	Detailed Revenue and Cost Builds	3	2w
+7	Analyst with no coverage or ranking	5	2w
+6	Equity Research Recruiting as a Freshman	2	2d
+6	Preparation for grad scheme - buyside ER	1	5d
+1	IB SA -> ER FT	4	3w
0	Equity Research Rankings	1	2w

1	redever	99.2
2	BankonBanking	99.0
3	Secyh62	99.0
4	kanon	99.0
5	dosk17	98.9
6	GameTheory	98.9
7	CompBanker	98.9
8	DrApeman	98.9
9	Betsy Massar	98.9
10	Jamoldo	98.8

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Pathway to ER

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Pathway to ER

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