Wild Card Advice

Hey everyone, I would like to break into the hedge fund industry but am aware this will be nigh impossible, so ive involved myself in banking and finance clubs, what are some good ways to reach out to smaller funds and offer my unpaid work in exchange for experience. I really want something substantive on my resume and im willing to do a ton for that any tips or recommendations?

14 Comments
 

Hey there! Kudos to you for taking the initiative to start your own hedge fund club. That's a great way to show your passion and dedication. Here are a few tips to make your club worthwhile and appealing:

  1. Guest Speakers: Try to invite professionals from the industry to give talks or webinars. This could be a great way to learn from their experiences and network.

  2. Real-world Projects: Try to work on real-world projects or case studies. This will give you and your club members hands-on experience.

  3. Networking Events: Organize networking events with alumni or local professionals in the industry. This could be a great way to build connections.

  4. Workshops: Conduct workshops on relevant topics like financial modeling, investment strategies, etc.

As for reaching out to smaller funds, here's what you can do:

  1. Research: Do your homework about the fund - their investment strategy, portfolio, team, etc. This will show them that you're genuinely interested.

  2. Personalized Emails: Reach out to them via personalized emails. Express your interest in their work and how you can contribute.

  3. Offer Value: Highlight what you can bring to the table. This could be your skills, knowledge, or even your passion and willingness to learn.

  4. Follow-up: Don't get disheartened if you don't hear back immediately. Follow up after a week or two.

Remember, it's not just about getting something on your resume. It's about learning, growing, and making meaningful contributions. Good luck!

Sources: Can I ask for an unpaid internship?, Graduated back in May, what am I doing wrong?, What am I doing wrong? Unemployed and Looking for 8 months now

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

If you aspire to join top quant funds, do some Kaggle competitions that were set up by hf or prop shops. Two sigma, jane, etc. 

Or, there is WorldQuant Brain or similar program by TRexQuant. But I am sure they weight less than Kaggle ranking in my domain (quant mid-freq equity). 
 

There are a few big-name prop shops in the south as well. Not as big as NY/Chicago names, but watch out the campus recruit events and see if they show up. 

 

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