Fundamental analysts ... what keeps you motivated (besides the dollar upside)?
I've been doing the MM L/S analyst job for ~5 years now, and at this point the main reason I stay is that exit opps have gotten fewer and fewer each year. The job is very niche.
I understand that (non-exhaustive):
- Research is intellectually stimulating
- Daily exposure to markets... great if you truly love the markets
- Money can be great (but you're just as likely to get fired)
However, what I struggle with:
- There's very little innovation and creativity. People have been running the same processes and using the same frameworks for the past 3 decades. You can generate marginal alpha if you're slightly more disciplined in your process than the average pod, but that may come with even more homogeneous monkey work.
- Everyone is looking at the same data, reading the same research, attending the same conferences, talking to the same IR people, trading the same pairs. If you're intellectually honest (bad at self-deception), it's difficult to feel like you truly ever have a strong edge. And even if you have an edge, it doesn't mean the market will do the rational thing. This makes it difficult to attribute P&L to actual work done.
- The industry is full of people who lack above self-awareness.
- Sector coverage has an outsized influence on career success. It's just easier to make money in a hip sector.
- Coming back to innovation: Tech is underused. Fundamental folks sometimes appear ignorant and hostile when it comes to tech. LLMs have started to change this somewhat, but only slowly.
Start throwing the monkey shit!
Im guessing good sectors are TMT, consumer, and HC? What would you say are bad sectors?
try trading energy, metals and mining lol
Genuine question on this - does that mean if you're interested in energy/metals/mining, you should be looking at commodities desks rather than equity teams covering these sectors?
Also trying to figure out how macro or commodities roles at HFs (especially MM HF) compare to equity in terms of career trajectory. Been reading through old threads but haven't found much comparing the three paths directly.
Currently at a top target trying to decide where to focus my networking/recruiting efforts - everything sounds interesting at a high level but I know that's not enough to go on.
Would appreciate any color from anyone who's worked in either area.
move to emerging markets and trade Cambodian equities
should be more fun than a sterilized market where everybody is doing the same and looking at the same
Can you elaborate on this? Not obvious to me on the sell side
Process convergence over time, even with some single managers.
Everyone is looking at the same data coming out biweekly, everyone is modelling incrementals and stacks, everyone’s on the same calls looking at the same things etc.
Most senior analyst at my pod (pretty successful guy) left a few weeks ago. Not just the firm but industry generally because the job was so repetitive
its just a job bro
I was about to post the same thing lol
A job with potential to make life changing money in a year and where you can sit at a desk thinking about markets all day is a dream to some
Are there better or more rewarding jobs? Everyone has complaints but what are the alternatives?
This is the part nobody ever answers lol
Not like its an easy transition to go from random pod boi to Public Company CFO or Partner track PE
There’s plenty of room for innovation and creativity in the markets and IMO direct correlation between firms orientation toward that and alpha generation
Qui quibusdam at voluptatum temporibus rerum omnis sit. Ullam et ducimus officia deleniti. Ut sunt cupiditate libero laudantium.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...