FT Offer Decision, Need Help

Hey guys, fortunate to have 2 offers to choose from but need some advice, especially with all that's going on. So I had an internship at a well-known hedge fund through a really good connection last summer, and liked it but there was no opportunity for a return offer.

I went through FT recruiting and ended with 2 offers, one in IB at CS/Citi/Barclays and the other is at JPM/MS but in their Asset Management arm. My goal is Buyside (prob HF at some point) and definitely have more interest in investing/AM, but not sure if I should give up the shot at IB in a BB.

Thanks

9 Comments
 

From my understanding, you would be better served in IB. AM at JPM/MS is a different animal than the traditional HF world.

 

WTF? definitely take the IB role. the job you describe you wanted recruit directly from those banks in their IBD. I’d say 75%+ of analysts in IB at those banks go buyside.

 

Yeah that makes sense. But the AM role is already buyside, just not my ideal eventual role.

 

if you want to acquire the modeling skills that hedge funds and private equity shops desire for their associates, do IB. in AM you’ll just be using the banks equity research reports to make decisions.

 

Where in AM? is it sales? Portfolio analysis? Or is it some internal hedge fund product or long only product in which case you are in a buyside seat.. or?

Edited to add: I understand the temptation for banking and the whole skillz thing, but some more clarity would be ideal. Also, remember we are or may soon be in a recession in which jobs will be cut brutally. Usually AM is safer since the fee income is pretty stable. Not so in IB. As an analyst you may be deemed too cheap to cut but plenty have been cut before...

A few things to think about.

Congrats on offers!!

Good Luck

I used to do Asia-Pacific PE (kind of like FoF). Now I do something else but happy to try and answer questions on that stuff.
 

Research Analyst on the MBS desk. couple of the older analysts have been promoted to junior portfolio manager in few yrs

 
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