Anyone ever hired as entry level at PE or Hedge Fund?

Wondering if anyone has worked at a company in an entry level position when that company does very little if any entry level hiring. Ex: no formal training programs, no analyst classes, etc. I believe this would apply to PE and hedge funds specifically because they don't necessarily focus on entry level. So if you have experienced this could you tell me how you learned? Did you have a good mentor? Did you just shadow various people? Was it difficult? Where are you now? How long did it take to learn the models being done? Any feedback would be appreciated.

4 Comments
 

I just started at one. When they brought me on board they specifically told me that I was the least-experienced analyst that they've ever hired. But the experience has been pretty good up to now, albeit short. Not complaining as I'm learning by doing and I've already been asked a couple of times to "give my opinion".

 

I got on the good side of a PM at another hedge fund who referred me to them. Went into the interview...got grilled for almost 2 hours straight, lol, wasn't a fun experience. I thought I got dinged for sure, until they called me up for a 2nd round, and after that got my offer.

As for the knowledge they expected me to know, I had told them I as reading a few books that caught their ear (value & event-driven), plus the fact that they hired me on the expectation that I'm a quick learner (which I hope I can fulfill). I've done a lot of reading on my own and just tried to project my sincere interest in HFs/investing.

About it I guess.

 

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