Would you recommend your younger self a career in hedge fund?

I'm genuinely motivated and passionate about a career as a hedge fund manager. I'm sure there are others here too, aspirants as well as those who made it already, with that sort of passion.

I'm sure most of you who made it will agree that its not only about the money, if that were the only motivator one wouldnt have made it, I think.

I'm trying to get a sense of how do veterans perceive their careers and what you would recommend to yourself if your younger self was an aspiring monkey in 2017?

What's that element in some other industry that attracts/excites you enough for you to imagine a career in it over that in HF?

On the other hand what's it about your experience in HF that's irreplacable that you would always choose being in HF even if reborn a million times over?

6 Comments
 
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Most people at HFs are satisfied with their jobs. I am planning on entering the industry in about a year so I don't know from first hand experience. The primary career satisfaction risk is if you work for a fund with a high degree of unneeded stress. Markets are stressful in themselves and you have to be able to handle that no matter what. However you have to accept that there is a risk of people screaming at you for making mistakes at certain funds. It's often hard to know until you get there which places that will be. Overall though I think it's a great career.

 
Best Response

You just said you don't even work in the industry... how can you possibly comment on it?

Your question makes it hard to answer given the answers / skill required for different strategies. Speaking from L/S equity perspective. Yes, I enjoy what I do. It's intellectually challenging, financially rewarding (sometimes), stressful, super competitive, etc. That being said, there are limitations in being a securities analyst and what transferable skill sets you develop. So much of my job is underlying fundamental valuation, but also understanding flows, how other investors are thinking (psychological setup) which poses its own challenges / frustrations / excitement when you get it right.

A couple years in, I do enjoy what I do. I recognize there is an argument for both cyclical and secular headwinds facing fundamental L/S jobs depending on what view you subscribe to for electronic trading / passive investing. I do have some reservations about "what's next" should I need a plan B given the limited skill set. Despite that, I would do it again as it is what I fundamentally enjoy doing

 

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