I'd take the HF offer if that's your long term goal. I never would have entered banking if I could've landed one of those HF shops straight out of ugrad.

Hell, I'd quit right now if they wanted me.

 

I have no intentions of being a banker for life. I'm going to put in my time as an analyst and then I'm getting the hell out. For me, banking is (hopefully) a means to an end.

HF was the ultimate goal. If that's true for newbie as well, then there is little reason to go through 2 years of banking. Yes, you will garner valuable experience, but I'd pass that opportunity in a heartbeat. I would be far more skeptical if it was a small-time HF, but newbie mentioned the top shops.

Kudos to newbie if (s)he can land a gig at one of those HF straight out of ugrad.

 

...its not even close. Any of those funds are better then being a banker anywhere. Why? Pretty simple...if u are a star and start at Citadel at 22 by 30 you will be rich. Period, the end. If you start at GS, three years later you might be able to get a job at someplace similar assuming everything is right w/ the economy, you have done a great job, and you get a bit of luck. A bird in the hand is worth about 5 in the field in this case...no contest.

 
Best Response
Bondarb:
...its not even close. Any of those funds are better then being a banker anywhere. Why? Pretty simple...if u are a star and start at Citadel at 22 by 30 you will be rich. Period, the end. If you start at GS, three years later you might be able to get a job at someplace similar assuming everything is right w/ the economy, you have done a great job, and you get a bit of luck. A bird in the hand is worth about 5 in the field in this case...no contest.

I agree with this in large part with a few caveats...

1) I was talking about taking a job at $100mm No-Name Capital Fund vs. doing a stint at an i-bank.

2) You have to take risks and opportunities, but don't get too far ahead of yourself. If you're not ready, the last thing you want to do is take a job at Citadel, get fired 3 months later and be f'ed...doesn't happen that often, but it happens more than you think.

 

u might get fired after 3 months at Citadel, but if thats true it wouldn't have mattered where you went, you wouldnt have gotten a great job after your banking stint either. If you would be succesful in the world of hedge funds, PE, or life in general u need to take (calculated) risk. Seek risk and then find a way to perform. On Wall St. you only get paid to take risk.

 

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