IB Necessary?

All of the following is assuming that I want to take the HF route long term. Is it helpful to take the IB analyst at a BB route to become a HF analyst? I hear that this is the most popular path because it is seen as "paying your dues" and there is useful knowledge gained, but is there any knowledge gained here that's worth the two years, or that you wouldn't already learn at a HF? Or would it be more helpful to grind a little more and get an HF job out of undergrad, perhaps at a smaller HF?

14 Comments
 

Hahaha where does the perception that it's merely a matter of "[grinding] a little more" to get a HF job out of undergrad come from?

Don't you think that a lot more of these undergrad workaholic monkeys would have just "[grinded] a little more" to attain their dream role opposed to slaving away in the BBIB trenches for an exit opportunity?

Absurd.

 

What kind of HF job? People lump it all in together, but there are a lot of different kinds of hedge funds... IB will be the best prep for most fundamental long/short equity, distressed debt, merger arb type funds. However it would be useless for a relative value fixed income fund, quant fund, etc, and frankly these types of funds are probably much easier to get into out of undergrad, assuming a quantitative background

 
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It really matters what type of fund man..I work in L/S equity at multi-manager and I'd rather hire out of equity research. People who have modeling experience (I don't need a 3 statement PE type of model, just IS) and know how to talk to company management and ask the appropriate questions to figure out how the model key stock drivers.

If you find banking more interesting, do that. When the time comes, recruit for HF or PE...what ever interests you more. If you have good stock ideas and show passion for the public markets, you'll find your way to the appropriate rolr. Don't stress over it.

 

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