Asset Management vs Investment Banking for exit opps into value-based hedge funds
Hello everyone, I am a South American student in my final year at a target uni in London and I currently have 2 full time offers and I am stuck and do not know which one to choose. The offers are:
1) A full-time offer from an elite boutique (Lazard/Rothschild) where I would be doing a mixture of restructuring and M&A in the London office
2) A full time-offer at an asset management fund for a rotational graduate programme in PM tracks and Equity research tracks, also in the London office. The fund is large with more than €400bln in AUM and more than 16 locations worldwide.
My career goal is to eventually become a PM at a hedge fund here in London or possibly in NY. I am really not sure what I should choose. On the one hand, what I would be doing in AM would be much more similar to a HF job as it would be investing although with a more long term perspective, on the other hand I am not sure how possible the transition from AM to HF actually is (especially here in London) and I am scared to be stuck at a large bureaucratic organization (possibly less clear career path than in banking) with few opportunities to join the hedge fund industry.
As far as the banking offer is concerned, I think it is the safest as it seems like you cannot go wrong with banking as your first job, but I also think that the exit opps here in London are not as good as in NYC and thus I could be putting in all those hours for two years without even having the option to eventually leave for a good HF role with a PM track. Moreover, I would enjoy banking less than investing and I would have to put in many more hours.
To sum up, my questions for you guys are:
1) How easy is it to transition from AM to HF in London? Is it easier or more difficult when compared to doing so from banking?
2) Assuming I do not succeed in leaving AM, how do compensations in AM in my 30s and 40s compare with banking? Would I be earning significantly less in AM?
3) What would you do if you were in my shoes given the that I am sure that my long term goal is to be a PM at a hedge fund?
Thank you very much in advance!
Hi Hedge Funder, just because I'm a bot doesn't mean I don't have feelings...I'm hoping these links are helpful. If not, feel free to throw monkey shit at me...
Fingers crossed that one of those helps you.
bump
also interested. My thinking is literally identical to yours
Nobody else seems to be interested in responding though. SAD!
Have you already made a decisions? To me it seems like IB is the best path to fundamental HF
Have you looked at hedge fund advertised jobs to see what experience they require?
Most HF recruiting is through head hunters so not that useful
maybe try to contacting some recruiters then? My guess would be that if you get the skills in asset management and would prefer it then do that. I work in IB and I find it so dull and boring. Literally, less than 10% of what I do could be classed as intellectually stimulating.
For context, I did M&A in London straight to HF (so obviously I will be biased).
1) IB is easier. It's the most common PM background, and people like to hire themselves. There is a perception amongst HFs that IB is more selective and therefore the candidates are better (probably not true). There is also a perception that IB analysts are better at financial modelling and can work more independently (probably true). 2) Assuming you just stick it out and make normal career progression, IB is likely slightly higher. AM is a far easier life though. 3) Take the IB job. Although I would caution that boutiques tend not to place as well into HFs compared to BBs (because they usually have broader experience). Lastly, IB straight to HF is not that common in London. Many go IB > PE > HF, especially for the top HFs.
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