No Traction with HH Email - HF Transition
I have 3 years banking, 2 years PE and 1 year strategic finance. I’m looking to break into hedge funds but have trouble getting head hunters to respond to me for some reason. Is my background such an edge case that they just don’t bother to respond? Really puzzling because I’ve emailed quite a few and gotten a 30% response rate.
Not sure if something is wrong with this email but would appreciate any input. Thanks all.
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My name is x, and I wanted to introduce myself and see if you had some time this week to connect on public equity investing opportunities.
My experience includes Strategic Finance / Corp Dev at x ( x PortCo), Private Equity at y(Associate), and Investment Banking at x (Analyst & Associate)
I’m looking to transition into a L/S hedge fund role where I can apply my passion for public markets and deep interest in technology investing.
I look forward to connecting with you - I'm also happy to send over my resume.
Are you currently in the strat finance role? If so, that’s why. Recruiting into HF from the corporate world is rare and hard to spin. Much easier from PE.
Yea def understand it’s not conventional. But if I’m competing with banking or ER research analysts, would think I come across better on paper.
Or is it all optics and “path” matters (which is what I’m gettin)? I would think HF would be more open to unconventional but qualified candidates.
I would expect undoubtedly that you have better experience than a 2nd year IB analyst given your tenure in finance. I also agree that HFs themselves generally care more about ideas and relevant experience than the fact that you’re recruiting from a “non-high finance” role. However, HHs can be lazy and are notorious for bucketing people based on “path.” When you went to strat fin, you chose a different path, into the corporate world, that puts you in a worse bucket in a HH’s eyes than just having stayed in PE, so they’re less likely to push for you. Have you tried reaching out to firms directly? You don’t necessarily have to go through a headhunter
You would maybe look better than IB analysts to HFs, but definitely not better than ER analysts. Unless the HF is some merger arb or other non market-neutral type equity strategy.
Just attach your resume and a stock pitch + model in your first email, no one’s gonna bother having to reply to see your quality
I’m trying to break in with a somewhat similar background. 1 year IB 2 years PE co investing. Had a headhunter intro me to a fund I interviewed with before I took this PE job (took myself out of process due to time constraints, they wanted me to spend a week in office with them) and they decided to pass on an intro interviewer this time. Kinda funny considering I’m literally the same person but now actually have 2 years investing experience.
Try calling the headhunters too. No reason why you can't land an interview with your background.
which hh are you targeting? the big ones like search/dynamics? they are pretty professional, will talk to everyone, with a reasonable background, and will reply even if not interested.
Basically all of them including Search and Dynamics. I sent the above email to all and haven't gotten a response yet from either.
I've interacted with Dynamics >1 year ago on PE oppties as well
They are usually looking for cookie cutter, low risk, low effort to pitch candidates. You may not fit that pattern and might have to go directly to the companies.
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