Moving from REIT Financial Analyst to Public Markets Equities Role (AM/HF)?

Hi WSO,

Any guidance or thoughts that you guys are able to offer on how to move from a Financial Analyst role at mid-size REIT to an equities investment role (or the feasibility of this) would be really appreciated. More specifically, how to move to a REIT/ROC desk at an AM firm.

As background, I will be entering a Master in Finance program at a well-regarded European business school (think ESADE, IE, St. Gallen level) in the spring. I have ~2 years of experience at mid-sized REIT in a jack of all trades FA role. My job entails creating internal leasing, rental revenue and occupancy reports and forecasts for executive management, preparing IR materials, and numerous treasury duties such as monitoring the REIT's liquidity levels and initiating borrowing as required. A great thing about this role is that I deal with all areas/teams of the REIT (development, acquisitions/dispositions, leasing & ops, accounting etc)

Additionally, I come from a non-target undergrad and have cleared level 1 of the CFA.

Ultimately, I'd love to move to a public markets investment role analyzing real estate securities (REITs, ROC's, etc). Any advice on how to make this jump would be awesome. Thanks guys.