Bridgewater Investment Associate vs. Top IBD BB Group (GS TMT, GS Industrials, MS M&A)

Which is the better opportunity: Bridgewater Investment Associate or working in a top IBD BB Group (GS TMT, GS Industrials, MS M&A)? Thank you! Feel free to PM me if you would like.

 
nautique1064:

If you want to end up at a hedge fund, you should take the Bridgewater offer now. Bridgewater is one of the top hedge funds so no point in going to IB just to interview again in a year

+1

Bridgewater is a bit harder to get into and has much more of a compensation opportunity, being a hedge fund (however it is fee based.. about 6% correct?). That's just my opinion.

 
Best Response

Take the bank for sure. BW has a very odd culture and most investment associates aren't really investing in companies they're doing general research. It's not really a hedge fund role but the leverage the name to attract talent. Ironically if you want to move to a top hedge fund (tiger cub, glen view, omega, valueact, etc) on the investment side 2 years at GS or 2 years at GS plus 2 years at a PE fund will give you much better opps to top fundamental hedge funds.

 

BW is not harder to get into, they take many undergrads each year and those kids are smart but are not on average smarter than your average BB kid. However, echoing the comment above this is not a real hedge find job that is comparable to being a research analyst at a tiger cub, which is probably what most fundamental folks want to do. Half the kids responding here are in college. Source: worked at BB and PE; have friends in banking, BW and more traditional hedge fund roles.

 

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