GS Securities vs. Bridgewater?

I'm fortunate enough to have received summer offers at both. I really liked everyone I met at both firms, and while I know their cultures are quite different I definitely think that both are good fits for my personality and I would thrive in either. As of right now I think I'll want to be in the hedge fund space long-term, though I'm not certain on what style/methodology I'll want to be working with. My main concern about GS is needing to network my way onto good desks (though it's rotational, so not quite as much of an issue as at, say, JPM); at BW it's developing a narrowly-defined skill set that I might have trouble transferring to other funds or back to the sell-side. I know I'm in an enviable position and will have a great experience in either place. Any thoughts/things I should consider?

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Best Response

You wont get exposure to styles of HFs during a summer at GS. Sellside is a completely different business from the buyside for all intents and purposes.

Yes overall macro performance is down, but then look at banks, there isnt a day that goes by where a fine isnt announced. Trust me, if you saw the desperation from sell side sales people you would reconsider thinking it was an amazing place.

As another guy points out, the buyside is very hard to break into it, there just arent that many places to go around at the top shops, and the competition is fierce.

And if you decided BW isnt for you, its a lot mroe impressive to have on your CV anyway.

And the people who talk about the network benefits of a BB, it is 10x easier to build a network on the buyside than as a junior on the sellside. A) you talk to a lot of banks and B) you are constantly attending events with tons of other buyside guys.

 

You want to work at a HF and have a summer offer at one of the biggest. That sounds like a no brainer to me. I know that it's Bridgewater and the culture shock gets a bad rap around here, but the most important aspect of working at a HF is getting your foot in the door. I repeat, it is very difficult to break into the buyside. If it were me, and I wanted to work at a HF, I would take the opportunity. HF internship looks better to HFs than a GS internship.

 

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