Best Internship Path for Joining a Hedge Fund After, IB or ER?

Hi everyone,

I'm currently a MBA student at a t-15 business school and am considering a career path that will eventually lead me to join a hedge fund. I have a couple of internship offers on the table and am trying to decide which would best position me for my goal. The internships I'm considering are in either equity research (ER) or investment banking (IB).

Given that I aim to work in investment banking or equity research initially and then transition to a hedge fund, which internship do you think would provide the best foundation and network for achieving this goal?

Any insights or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

197 WSO Academy Hedge Fund Session Reviews: 4.78/5

Class of '29 Sep 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Hedge Fund LinkedIn Review

“My meeting with Kevin Lee was super helpful and went well beyond what I originally expected. We met to discuss my LinkedIn profile, but the conversation also covered the hedge fund space and how I’m thinking about my career as a whole. I really appreciated being able to talk about both how I present myself professionally and the broader direction I want to take. As someone interested in hedge funds but also exploring other paths in finance, it was helpful to have a conversation that connected my profile to my actual interests and goals. Kevin gave me a lot to think about, and I left feeling clearer about my next steps. Overall, I really appreciated his time and willingness to go beyond the original purpose of our meeting.”

Class of '26 Sep 2026 Cohort

4.56/5

Hedge Fund Mock Interview

“He was very responsive and prepared for the meeting. He actually read the JD, resume, and looked up linkedin which sometimes other mentors doesn't actually go over those to prepare things beforehand. I appreciate his direct comments I think it saved time and actually helped me to know exactly where to improve. I also appreciated him admitting if he doesn't know about specific HF strategy. Only thing I'd suggest for him is probably sending actionable key takeaways after the meeting because other mentors did and that was very helpful. ”

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Best Internship Path for Joining a Hedge Fund After, IB or ER?

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Best Internship Path for Joining a Hedge Fund After, IB or ER?

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