Highest paying financial jobs (/best financial firms) in the Detroit area?

I'm guessing that most of you don't think much of Detroit, but I'm from the Ann Arbor-area, I'm going to go to the University of Michigan, I've got all of my family and friends in the area, I've got all my sports teams in the area (lol), I love the city of Detroit - and I want to live and work there...and I'd also like to make as lucrative a living as I can there.

I've done a lot of research on hedge funds, private equity, venture capital, investment banking, consulting, and investment management...so, I know a little bit about how much the top execs in those fields make, about their career paths, and about their job responsibilities. But, I still don't know enough about what's available in the Detroit-area, and how salaries there compare to more popular financial hubs (NY, CHI, SF, etc.). I do know that McKinsey's got an office in Detroit, and that Ann Arbor's got a couple of good venture capital firms, but that's about it (I don't come from a 'finance/law/corporate-family,' obviously).

So...here's my question: What are some of the top paying financial jobs (/financial firms) in the greater metro Detroit-area? And how do their salaries compare to other top fields in the area...lawyers, doctors, corporate execs, etc...?

Thanks a ton for any help guys!

Best,

Brady

Little background info - I'm still just a high school senior, I've got a wide-range of interests, and I've got - what I believe to be - a wide range of skills and talents as well. So, I'm still pretty open in terms of career choices. I think that I'm going to start off at the UofM with the intentions of getting into the undergraduate business program (BBA degree). I could probably get into a good MBA program (after getting some work experience) or law school if I did well in that program. I might even hedge my bets a little bit and take some pre-med courses in my first year.

 

alright, i'm gonna go ahead and put an end to this shit right now...

Detroit is a wonderful and unique place. No where else in the world will you see hot shot executives, local celebrities and regular old construction workers (or whatever) sitting at the same table, and eating the same $2 coney dogs. It's the most laid-back city in the world. It's got big companies, monster buildings, pro teams in all the major sports (along with great, great fans), art galleries, museums, bars, clubs, etc...and no traffic (on the roads or on the sidewalks). There's a relatively thin ring of (very) poor neighborhoods that circles the city - where ignorance and crime exist, but inside of that circle we've got a great city, and outside of that circle we've got some of america's greatest suburbs (there's an annoying group of bums that gather around the stadiums for games...and that's scary to some...but they're harmless). And yes, we've had a long, long, long string of bad political leadership here...and stupid voters...but I think that's sort of on the rebound now. Regardless, it's the perfect city for a certain kind of person. I'd suggest that you actually spend a significant amount of time in the city before talking shit about it (or at least get your information from someone that's actually spent a significant amount of time in the city).

 
Brady Hoke:
alright, i'm gonna go ahead and put an end to this shit right now...
The city is doing a great job of putting an end to itself without your help thanks.

I do respect that you defend your hometown though. Props.

If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 
Brady Hoke:
alright, i'm gonna go ahead and put an end to this shit right now...

Detroit is a wonderful and unique place. No where else in the world will you see hot shot executives, local celebrities and regular old construction workers (or whatever) sitting at the same table, and eating the same $2 coney dogs. It's the most laid-back city in the world. It's got big companies, monster buildings, pro teams in all the major sports (along with great, great fans), art galleries, museums, bars, clubs, etc...and no traffic (on the roads or on the sidewalks). There's a relatively thin ring of (very) poor neighborhoods that circles the city - where ignorance and crime exist, but inside of that circle we've got a great city, and outside of that circle we've got some of america's greatest suburbs (there's an annoying group of bums that gather around the stadiums for games...and that's scary to some...but they're harmless). And yes, we've had a long, long, long string of bad political leadership here...and stupid voters...but I think that's sort of on the rebound now. Regardless, it's the perfect city for a certain kind of person. I'd suggest that you actually spend a significant amount of time in the city before talking shit about it (or at least get your information from someone that's actually spent a significant amount of time in the city).

REPORT TO MOLLOM

 

if you're too scared to come here, we don't want you here anyways. now quit ruining my thread with your ignorance (and yes, talking shit about a place you've never even been to is ignorance). i want to get some helpful answers.

 

I've been there, I'm not scared of Detroit, get over yourself.

Real answer: There are boutiques in Detroit just like any other city. There also consulting firms that have offices out of Detroit (BCG included if memory serves). There are a few threads where people have posted lists of boutiques by city and region. Those would be a good place to start.

I am sorry Duke didn't recruit you out of undergrad Mr. Rose.

If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 
happypantsmcgee:
I've been there, I'm not scared of Detroit, get over yourself.

I almost forgot to mention the very best part about living in detroit...all the pussies and ignorant yuppies have been scared away. all that's left is real, simple and tough people.

(and then a bunch of garbage in the garbage areas, but only garbage goes there).

 
Brady Hoke:
happypantsmcgee:
I've been there, I'm not scared of Detroit, get over yourself.

I almost forgot to mention the very best part about living in detroit...all the pussies and ignorant yuppies have been scared away. all that's left is real, simple and tough people.

(and then a bunch of garbage in the garbage areas, but only garbage goes there).

I don't know if your desire to live with "real, simple, and tough" people is concordant with your desire to have the "highest paying" job.

 

illini - comerica's just a commercial bank isn't it? salaries can't be that high, can they? i realize that i could become ceo of the bank and make millions...or maybe ceo of ford. but i also realize that i could win the mega millions lotto. we're talking about very small percentages there.

happy - how do boutique salaries generally compare across fields? is it the same as major shops (with HF, PE, VC, IB being at the top)? are certain fields more lucrative in certain regions (like, auto consultants perhaps making more than private equity heads in D-Town)?

 

Im sure there is some corrupt union (as if there was any other kind) gig that pays well.

Or perhaps a local credit union has an affirmative action program for white people.

Seriously, you're already off to a bad start by starting your search with "highest paying" as criteria 1, though that puts you in good company with the other youngins on here. Find something you want to do, then worry about what it pays. Frankly, you don't know shit at 18 (and neither did I...or 22 for that matter)....nor should you. Have fun, do well in school, find something that interests you...there is PLENTY of time to worry about a career.

 
Cartwright:
Im sure there is some corrupt union (as if there was any other kind) gig that pays well.

Or perhaps a local credit union has an affirmative action program for white people.

Seriously, you're already off to a bad start by starting your search with "highest paying" as criteria 1, though that puts you in good company with the other youngins on here. Find something you want to do, then worry about what it pays. Frankly, you don't know shit at 18 (and neither did I...or 22 for that matter)....nor should you. Have fun, do well in school, find something that interests you...there is PLENTY of time to worry about a career.

Cartwright - I appreciate, and agree with that advice. I suppose that I should have been more clear in the original post. I'm really talking more about places I'd like to intern at over the summers...as opposed to long-term career choices...at this point. I figured I'd start with some of the higher-paying options. See if I like them first, lol.

 
<span class=keyword_link><a href=/company/sac-capital target=_blank>SAC</a></span>:
There's a PE shop in Birmingham called Valstone Partners that recruits for internships all the time at Ross, I interviewed with them once. You might want to reach out to them prior to your sophomore summer and ask if you can help. As far as pay goes, I couldn't give you an accurate figure.

SAC - Thanks for the source. What do PE shops in the metro detroit area do, for the most part? Buy small auto manufacturing companies? I guess that there are also some pharmaceutical and bio-tech (and maybe even some alternative energy) companies in Ann Arbor. And come on...no idea how their salaries compare to other jobs in the area? I should've mentioned that I'm cool with very, very broad estimates.

 
Brady Hoke:
<span class=keyword_link><a href=/company/sac-capital target=_blank>SAC</a></span>:
There's a PE shop in Birmingham called Valstone Partners that recruits for internships all the time at Ross, I interviewed with them once. You might want to reach out to them prior to your sophomore summer and ask if you can help. As far as pay goes, I couldn't give you an accurate figure.

SAC - Thanks for the source. What do PE shops in the metro detroit area do, for the most part? Buy small auto manufacturing companies? I guess that there are also some pharmaceutical and bio-tech (and maybe even some alternative energy) companies in Ann Arbor. And come on...no idea how their salaries compare to other jobs in the area? I should've mentioned that I'm cool with very, very broad estimates.

The ones I know of are involved in RE and on the transportation side. I also know Bill Ford's PE/VC firm focuses on transportation technologies: http://www.fontinalispartners.com, and they also recruit at Ross.

As far as salaries, the larger banks and consulting firms will have similar starting salaries across the board, maybe a slight haircut to NY, so we're talking $60K starting ?

 
shorttheworld:
i heard the real estate is highly undervalued and the police force is robust.

the public schools are slam dunks too

real estate and police suck in the garbage areas, same as anywhere else. and SE Michigan has some of the world's best private schools.

 

if detroit country day...detroit catholic central...cranbrook...etc...aren't good enough places for your kids to learn calculus and social skills...then we don't want you or your soon-to-be babied/overly-entitled/pussy/a-hole kid anywhere near our state.

 

If you are interested in alternative investment firms in Detroit, go to the Cap IQ threads for hedge funds and PE and request that someone run a scan for you and post it there. Don''t hold your breath, because there is no big presence of financial firms in Detroit, and those that exist will serve a very small market. As such, the pay will not be as high as you would like.

If finance is where your interests lie, your best bet would be to try and manage money for the parents who send their kids to those prep schools you mentioned. See if any firms have PWM offices in those burbs.

You set yourself up for the Detroit jokes. Everyone could see the chip on your shoulder from the first sentence in your post. Also, consider the audience. What did you expect?

I've spent the past year on a consulting gig at one of the autos in Detroit, and everyone says the same thing. "We're tough and real." No, you're angry and your city is more dangerous than most because a lot of people are jobless.

Go to Ross see if you still want to do finance in Detroit while your peers are spending their summers in NY and Chi. If you still want to come back after a few years, then I've got nothing but respect for you.

 

a big middle market PE (and/or consulting?) firm has been brought to my attention via private message from someone that read my original post...Conway MacKenzie. anyone ever heard of them? any additional info on them would be greatly, greatly appreciated.

i will check the cap iq threads, but i am already familiar with a number of the higher aum firms in SE michigan (as far as knowing of them) via the crain-detroit-business magazine/website. it's really just that i have no idea who's making what.

...and really!?...you think that i'd make more managing money for SE michigan families than i would in PE or consulting?

also, maybe it's time for me to share some of my opinions on your cities:

...i've spent a great deal of time in chicago (friends, relatives there), and i've spent a couple of weeks each in new york, boston and san francisco as well. and i don't like the cultures, at all. all i see when i go to these cities is a bunch of wasteful spending. i see ugly loser executives moving around in super expensive suits, super expensive cars...and looking miserable because their wives - whom they all expected to be supermodels - are actually very, very mediocre looking gold diggers. all style, no substance. (turns out that they still prefer good-looking men that make $60,000 a year to ugly trolls that make $200,000 a year, eh?)

...$1,000,000 apartments as big as my garage, $50,000 rides that sit in parking garages 360 days a year, $1,000 suits and watches to wear...at work, so-so $100 meals at rip-off restaurants, $100 bar nights at clubs filled with mediocre-looking women that usually have terrible personalities...80-hour work weeks, no time for family and non-work friends (if you have any), no time for adult-rec league sports...and, of course, 'street people' wearing $100 hoodies taking breaks from their cell phone conversations to beg passers-by for money.

i'll take my $50 hoody, my used car, my smoking hot "country" girlfriend, our $40 dinner and movie dates, my real friends, adult-hockey, basketball, baseball, golf and bowling leagues 3-4 nights a week, and DETROIT any day of the week. no offense - because i really do appreciate you helping me, and i really do appreciate that other people have their own ideas about how time and money should be spent --- but if you think that detroit is 'dangerous,' i think that you're a scared little pussy.

 
HeHateMe:
That youtube video was pretty hilarious.

If you want to be wealthy in Detroit then the only sure way to go is to become a physician, preferably surgical sub-specialist.

that's what my girlfriend/probable fiancée is going into. seems kind of boring to me though...so, idk.

 
IlliniProgrammer:
^^^ Which is fine because UMich is arguably one of the best undergrad b-schools in the country.

i meant it in the sense of, op is going to michigan, these shops have michigan alums, therefore he should probably consider reaching out to some of them.

 

thanks frank r...some of those i knew about...some i didn't. there's one PE firm that claims to have 2 bil in management in southgate, MI...but i think that they are cross-listed in chicago as well. and pretty much anything of worth around here seems to have some michigan guys, so that's good.

unadbro - if i don't get in...should i transfer? or would it be better to go with a BS in finance and hang onto the Michigan name?

 
Brady Hoke:
if i don't get in...should i transfer? or would it be better to go with a BS in finance and hang onto the Michigan name?

Michigan's a fine school, I wouldn't transfer purely because there would likely be nowhere better to transfer to at that point. Econ's not exactly a death knell and it might just be me, but it seems like firms tend to ignore econ majors from UM because there are so many Ross kids with the same/better credentials. I literally have a 3.9 and haven't gotten a single interview as a sophomore. Networking/my resume might be the issue, but I think it's mostly the former. The only way to do finance at UM is at Ross, and even then it's just a set of electives rather than a concentration. The only degrees at Ross undergrad is the BBA.

Also, just some facts, an MD from Beringea came to Ross last month and said they already have all the interns they need for the summer, and one Partner from Valstone and one from Huron Cap, both econ grads, spoke last week. Both of them started out in IB outside of Michigan before coming back years later - this might be a more realistic path.

 

What's with the chip on your shoulder? You need to relax man. Shitting on cities that you know nothing about because people (who may or may not know anything about Detroit) are shitting on your city doesn't help you out. If you want to make money in finance, you need to start elsewhere. That's it. End of story. You're going to have a hard time progressing through the ranks at these firms unless you plan to spend your entire life at one place, make it to partner-level.

No one is criticizing you for your desire to stay in Detroit, it's really about your douchey attitude.

 
jimbrowngoU:
What's with the chip on your shoulder? You need to relax man. Shitting on cities that you know nothing about because people (who may or may not know anything about Detroit) are shitting on your city doesn't help you out. If you want to make money in finance, you need to start elsewhere. That's it. End of story. You're going to have a hard time progressing through the ranks at these firms unless you plan to spend your entire life at one place, make it to partner-level.

No one is criticizing you for your desire to stay in Detroit, it's really about your douchey attitude.

agree on some points. disagree on others.

1) I don't care who you are, or where you're from...if you're an open-minded person that isn't terrified of poor black people and you give Detroit an actual shot (...you know, actually leave your hotel room, actually walk around a bit, meet some locals and see what the city has to offer) I can almost guarantee that you'll come back. Like I said, it's probably one of the (I can't say THE, because I haven't seen them all) most laid back cities in north america...and it's got one of the best art/music scenes in north america, especially for smart 20-somethings...who basically get to run the place bc all the vets are in the burbs. Then we've also got some of the nicest suburbs for families in the country, I think Bloomfield Hills is actually like the 4th richest city in America. I just get sick of morons who've never even been here (and walking through the airport/sitting in your hotel room doesn't qualify) talking sh!t about the city. I, on the other hand, have actually spent at least a couple of weeks in NY, CHI, BOS, SF, and I have good reasons for personally not liking them, while (at least somewhat) respectfully acknowledging that other people might be into that style. I LOVE DETROIT. I. LOVE. DETROIT. If one person's read this thread, and for the first time heard an actual account of what someone who knows the city thinks about it, then my rant isn't pointless. Maybe they'll have the balls to check it out for themselves and end up loving it. Whatever though. We don't want ignorant yuppie pussies here anyways. Enjoy NYC and the complete lack of negative aspects that one enjoys there.

Anyways, yeah, I know that I'll probably have to do at least a two-year stint in Chicago (ugh). But I'd be more than happy to find a good firm in Detroit and spend my entire career there.

 
Brady Hoke:
happypantsmcgee:
Fuck you Michigan state!!!

i'm going to the UofM, moron

I was at a bar watching the NCAA tournament (in which MSU lost further fucking my bracket) with people not beating off to pictures of Detroit...moron.
If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 

Brady, you need a major attitude adjustment. For someone claiming to come from the most chill city in North America, you sure come off as pretty fucking un-chill.

If you look back and read this whole thread, you'll see that the majority of posts not made by you have been people giving you candid and realistic advice about opportunities in Detroit. Despite that, you belittle our cities for stupid, subjective measures like the people being "ugly" and not as "tough."

I think my favorite part of this thread so far is when you claimed other cities were "all style, no substance" without seeing how absurdly ironic your comment was. The bottom line is that we would never have to post a thread asking where the "high paying" jobs in New York or San Francisco are.

“Millionaires don't use astrology, billionaires do”
 
Nouveau Richie:
Brady, you need a major attitude adjustment. For someone claiming to come from the most chill city in North America, you sure come off as pretty fucking un-chill.

If you look back and read this whole thread, you'll see that the majority of posts not made by you have been people giving you candid and realistic advice about opportunities in Detroit. Despite that, you belittle our cities for stupid, subjective measures like the people being "ugly" and not as "tough."

I think my favorite part of this thread so far is when you claimed other cities were "all style, no substance" without seeing how absurdly ironic your comment was. The bottom line is that we would never have to post a thread asking where the "high paying" jobs in New York or San Francisco are.

1) thanks for the recap, doctor. i've thanked the people that have helped. i've given the morons talking shit about a place they've never been to a piece of my mind as well (this is the last time i'll apologize for - or even address - hurting your delicate feelings with some objective truth about the lifestyles a lot of you live).

2) search the forum for "highest paying jobs in New York or San Francisco." actually, check that...search Amazon.com for books with that title. then, let me know how it goes.

 

For a senior in high school, you should really relax. Really... I'm not trying to be offensive to Detroit here, I'm just taking a step back and letting you know that you're very uptight. You referenced a girl that is your "probable future fiance" and you're 17/18 — you might want to reconsider that. What happens if you meet a smokeshow at UM that is from the Connecticut 'burbs who wants to live in NY — will you refuse a move then? It seems your desire to stay in Detroit is firmly entrenched in your girlfriend, family and friends; there's a good chance that if you get into Ross and decide to focus in finance, all of your friends will end up out outside of Detroit (because, quite frankly, few kids interested in finance from a school like UM would actually want to stay in Detroit. It's not exactly the best place to start a career in high finance), and there's a good chance any girl you may be interested in won't want to remain in Detroit either.

I just think you need a bit of a reality check.

 
jimbrowngoU:
For a senior in high school, you should really relax. Really... I'm not trying to be offensive to Detroit here, I'm just taking a step back and letting you know that you're very uptight. You referenced a girl that is your "probable future fiance" and you're 17/18 — you might want to reconsider that. What happens if you meet a smokeshow at UM that is from the Connecticut 'burbs who wants to live in NY — will you refuse a move then? It seems your desire to stay in Detroit is firmly entrenched in your girlfriend, family and friends; there's a good chance that if you get into Ross and decide to focus in finance, all of your friends will end up out outside of Detroit (because, quite frankly, few kids interested in finance from a school like UM would actually want to stay in Detroit. It's not exactly the best place to start a career in high finance), and there's a good chance any girl you may be interested in won't want to remain in Detroit either.

I just think you need a bit of a reality check.

I 100% agree with Jim, here. I would study very hard in Econ 101, Math 115 (Calculus I), and English 125 because Ross is very tough to get into and if you don't bust your ass and compete with all the Long Islander douche bags whose daddy's all run funds in the city (NYC or Stamford), then you're going to have a much harder time getting looks from finance firms at UofM. You will learn something at UofM, called "Michigan Brain Drain." Essentially it's a main problem with Michigan where Michiganders and Out-of-State students will come to Michigan, get an education, and then leave. Thus not contributing to its shitty economy whatsoever. You will see, that popular finance spots for UofM grads are Chicago, New York, and San Francisco. Just wait 'til you graduate and you see the map of all the pins placed in cities where your fellow graduates are going.....not that many pins in Michigan.

 
Brady Hoke:
again, thank you doctor. either have some advice about financial jobs available in detroit or move on. i don't need to be talked to like i'm twelve years old. i HAVE considered all of these obvious issues.
Well, I can respect your take on things. It may not be much consolation, but us Chicagoans felt the same way about New York as I suspect Michiganders feel about Chicago and New York.

Here's my story- I got offers from a couple of firms in Chicago but then I got a really cool opportunity in New York to do a job that did not exist in Chicago. At the time, I didn't think it was worth leaving Chicago, but I talked to my friends, my family, and everyone else, and they said I was crazy if I didn't go to New York.

I would have taken a 40% pay cut to be able to have that job in Chicago or even a Midwestern city like Milwaukee or Detroit. But some of the most interesting entry-level jobs are in New York and London, and they MUST stay there. Now that it is three years later and I have significant savings, if I really want to, I can head back to Chicago and land an interesting job. It would be really cool because I still stay in touch with some of my friends back there. But had I started in Chicago, it would have taken much, much longer to get to this point.

And there's outdoorsy stuff you can't do in Michigan that you can do in New York. Ellenville, NY- 90 minutes away- has some of the best hang gliding east of Denver. The shipping lanes of Long Island and New Jersey probably have more wrecks to dive than anywhere in the world. A lot of the normal people involved in finance get involved in some sort of outdoor sport (just avoid yachting/sailing) as an alternative to the $1500 bottle service scene, and if you live in Hoboken and Brooklyn, folks are relatively chill.

So my "professional medical recommendation" is yes, aim for Detroit if you can, but don't write-off New York, either. Yes, New York City is a pretentious, overpriced hellhole with anti-Midwestern values. But there are ways of working around that and making lots of friends.

 

thank you both for your concern. i have acknowledged earlier in the thread that i realize i probably will have to spend at least a 2 year stint in a major financial hub. i'm done with the (subjective) comparisons of cities - bc that's getting me nowhere here (as far as actually accumulating useful information is concerned).

my goal is to end up with a great career in Detroit, making as much money as i can doing something that appeals to me there. i've gotten a ton of great leads thus far in this thread, and i hope to get some more as it continues. i'm in the process of developing some important response questions to ask the board right now, but it's going to take me a little bit of time to finalize and present.

 

Ok. So then my recommendation here would be to aim for equities research or trading in New York. Also get cracking on the CFAs.

I see a future for you as a hedge fund owner. It's true that there's a fair amount of wealth in the Detroit suburbs, and you'd at least have significant comparative advantages at capital raising- especially as a UMich grad.

It will take you more like four years. Once you make VP, have a CFA, and have about $100K-200K you're willing to risk + three years' Detroit living expenses saved up, you should be ready. Those kinds of credentials and that kind of backround- plus some hustle- would be enough to take a good stab at getting an Asset Management business off the ground.

One last thing- when you hit 24-25 and have some savings up, you look at money differently than you did in college. If you have $100-200K invested in the market, that's money you don't want to take quite as big risks with- you worked hard for it and it could help you retire early. It's not the same as you'd look at the $5K you saved up from summer jobs. That's money you can make back in a single summer- $100K is money that took years to save up. So you will not necessarily be comfortable risking everything you've saved on a hedge fund.

 

Illini - thank you for the thoughtful response. I think that I'd prefer equities research to trading - as I'm not that great at math. I'd also prefer Chicago to NY or SF, if that's possible? And, just to be clear, we're talking about starting off with the best IB I can out of college here, correct?

Two general concerns though:

1) Me, a hedge fund manager!? Seems kind of intimidating. I'm a smart kid and all - smart enough to get into UofM at least. But successful hedge fund managers tend to be more along the lines of 'genius,' don't they? I like the idea of being the manager of a fund of hedge funds and/or private equity funds more. Seems like it'd be a lot less risky. Seems like it'd be lot less genius-intensive. And it seems like it'd be a lot less labor-intensive as well (I don't want to be working 80 hours a week, 50 weeks a year or my whole life). The trade-off is obviously a significant difference in income. But my thinking in that regard is sort of along the lines of..."what can I really do with 400K a year that I can't do with 200K a year."

2) I'm sure I'll feel a lot differently after 4 years of school, and 4 years of work experience...but...how in the he!! do you go about getting a bunch of rich people to put you in charge of their money...and as a 26 year old!? The task of marketing my fund and getting people to give me millions of dollars to invest seems sort of daunting to me right now. Especially with all the stiff competition out there.

Thanks again for your input though!

 

1) Me, a hedge fund manager!? Seems kind of intimidating. I'm a smart kid and all - smart enough to get into UofM at least. But successful hedge fund managers tend to be more along the lines of 'genius,' don't they? I like the idea of being the manager of a fund of hedge funds and/or private equity funds more. Seems like it'd be a lot less risky. Seems like it'd be lot less genius-intensive. And it seems like it'd be a lot less labor-intensive as well (I don't want to be working 80 hours a week, 50 weeks a year or my whole life). The trade-off is obviously a significant difference in income. But my thinking in that regard is sort of along the lines of..."what can I really do with 400K a year that I can't do with 200K a year."

Well, if you can get all the way from being a Middle-class midwestern kid to being a research guy or trader on Wall Street, you're already 70-75% of the way to what it takes to be a hedge fund manager, logarithmically at least. If you can raise capital to boot, you've probably passed 80-85% of the tests. Being a scrappy kid with a degree from Ross is going to give you significant comparative advantages at least around eastern Michigan when it comes to getting people to invest with you. It will be a lot easier for them to trust you- in Detroit- than some guy with a Harvard degree operating out of Stamford CT.

#2) I'm sure I'll feel a lot differently after 4 years of school, and 4 years of work experience...but...how in the he!! do you go about getting a bunch of rich people to put you in charge of their money...and as a 26 year old!? The task of marketing my fund and getting people to give me millions of dollars to invest seems sort of daunting to me right now. Especially with all the stiff competition out there.
I dunno. How do you get to being a "VP" (one of thousands and thousands) at a New York investment bank at the age of 26? In reality, this is the typical promotion pattern. As long as you do a fairly good job, you make Associate/AVP after being an analyst for two years, and make VP after being an associate/AVP for two more years. Meanwhile, you save up a fair amount of money- assuming there are no once-in-80-year crashes.

You're just a college student right now. Four to eight years ago, you were a 14-year-old kid who was afraid to go to the mall without his parents. Now you are getting on planes for on-site interviews. In four years, you'll be a very different person than you are today. Especially coming from a Big Ten school. I'm not sure how things are at Michigan, but I'll be the first to admit that at Illinois, there is a huge sophistication and uhh, lack-of-humility gap vs. the Northeast. If you were at Yale, you wouldn't doubt you could become a hedge fund owner at 26.

I'd also prefer Chicago to NY or SF, if that's possible? And, just to be clear, we're talking about starting off with the best IB I can out of college here, correct?
There are some good trading firms in Chicago. DRW and Citadel come to mind. But quantitative strength would be very helpful, and IMHO is something you can learn if you're willing to try.
 

It hadn't really occurred to me that 'being one of the people' would be a big advantage for me. Hmm. I like that angle/advantage. And it sounds like my other concerns will probably just sort of take care of themselves along the way.

Thank you very much once again for the thoughtful advice (and the confidence boost!).

Best,

Brady

 

Chill out Brady... I live about 5 minutes away from Detroit and the way you're coming off isn't helping us.

I just wanted to come in here and say that Detroit is NOT as bad as some of you people think and the fact that people that have never stepped foot in Detroit and are talking shit about it is just retarded. I wouldn't mind living here after college but I don't know if I would actually like it as much as moving to another city. (basically, I fucking hate snow)

I'd always love to be able to come back in the future and do something to help Detroit out, granted the city stops being run by idiots... I'd have to be a BSD to do something meaningful though.

Ernst & Young has offices in Detroit but I doubt you'd be interested in that... not something I will personally overlook but also not something I'm aiming for

If your dreams don't scare you, then they are not big enough. "There are two types of people in this world: People who say they pee in the shower, and dirty fucking liars."-Louis C.K.
 
scottj19x89:
Chill out Brady... I live about 5 minutes away from Detroit and the way you're coming off isn't helping us.

I just wanted to come in here and say that Detroit is NOT as bad as some of you people think and the fact that people that have never stepped foot in Detroit and are talking shit about it is just retarded. I wouldn't mind living here after college but I don't know if I would actually like it as much as moving to another city. (basically, I fucking hate snow)

I'd always love to be able to come back in the future and do something to help Detroit out, granted the city stops being run by idiots... I'd have to be a BSD to do something meaningful though.

Ernst & Young has offices in Detroit but I doubt you'd be interested in that... not something I will personally overlook but also not something I'm aiming for

The snow used to bother me as well, but I've gotten over it. Now I just hit the indoor driving ranges a ton, play a lot of pick-up hockey, play a lot of pick-up basketball, bowl a lot, and hit the gym like a mad man in the winters. It makes you appreciate the other three wonderful seasons we have here that much more anyways.

Bing's probably the best mayor we've had in the post-Coleman era. That'll improve. Shame Illitch never ran though. People would've come out in droves for him.

Thanks for the E&Y shout. I think that I'm going to focus my research mostly on distressed debt-fields, and possibly starting an independent Asset Management firm though.

 

Ah yes... pond hockey, maybe the one thing that will prevent me from moving to a place without snow. I'm fine with snow up north or at sledding hills, but retarded drivers + snow = danger.

Oh, n the only reason I know that E&Y is in Detroit is because of the camera shots around the Joe Louis arena that they show on FSD during Wings games lol.... I'm sure there's more stuff in Detroit than I'm aware of

If your dreams don't scare you, then they are not big enough. "There are two types of people in this world: People who say they pee in the shower, and dirty fucking liars."-Louis C.K.
 
ThaVanBurenBoyz:
Questor and Huron have the largest AUM for PE in MI. There's a large difference between those two, as well, with Questor being significantly larger.

Questor doesn't really exist anymore. When Jay Alix sold Alix partners a new fund was never raised. Most of the people stayed in the area and either joined other shops or opened their own.

Three of the senior Questor team members are now Black Eagle.

 
IlliniProgrammer:
You guys need to keep in mind that New York still has winter- with hockey and ice skating and skiing- it's just about ten degrees milder and a month shorter. Summers with hang gliding, diving, and time out on Martha's Vineyard are about a month or two longer.

Yeah I know but New York doesn't seem like a place I would like to settle down in... somewhere in California seems like a place I would like to. I would really like to get a job in NY and see if it would be a nice place to live but California/Vegas were awesome when I went... Florida seemed like it would be nice but jesus it's humid.

Now that I mention it, are there any boutiques/anything in Vegas? I don't want to live there but I haven't heard anything about it...

If your dreams don't scare you, then they are not big enough. "There are two types of people in this world: People who say they pee in the shower, and dirty fucking liars."-Louis C.K.
 

i appreciate your efforts, but things like hang gliding, cold-water diving and martha's vineyard don't really appeal to me. if i have to go to ny though, i'm sure i'll find some fun things to do...i probably just won't spend a lot of time with my co-workers outside of the office (which might be a problem)

 
Brady Hoke:
i appreciate your efforts, but things like hang gliding, cold-water diving and martha's vineyard don't really appeal to me. if i have to go to ny though, i'm sure i'll find some fun things to do...i probably just won't spend a lot of time with my co-workers outside of the office (which might be a problem)

Ah the whimsical views of a deluded 18 year old. The guy thinks he will have time outside of the office.

Follow the shit your fellow monkeys say @shitWSOsays Life is hard, it's even harder when you're stupid - John Wayne
 
Brady Hoke:
I don't know...are you an actual baseball fan...or a typical obnoxious loud mouth red sox fan that doesn't know shit about baseball?

Neither. I am a high school senior with a mental disorder who gets off to pictures of Detroit sometimes.

Any advice?

 
jbert112:
Brady Hoke:
I don't know...are you an actual baseball fan...or a typical obnoxious loud mouth red sox fan that doesn't know shit about baseball?

Neither. I am a high school senior with a mental disorder who gets off to pictures of Detroit sometimes.

Any advice?

yeah, quit trying to pick fights on message boards.

 
Best Response

All cities will have their unique plusses and minuses, and as such will appeal to different people. Also, no city, especially large ones, can be classified as one entity. I'm sure living in downtown Detroit in a trendy yuppie neighborhood is totally different than living in the ghetto, is totally different than living in a posh suburb, yet they are all "Detroit".

Still, in a variety of quantifiable measures, Detroit doesn't do as well as most other large cities in America, and that's statistics, not subjective. That does not mean that Detroit can't be a great place to live, just that, on average, most objective individuals would choose to be elsewhere. As such, it's not surprising that most of the top-paying financial jobs tend to be located in other cities. A lot of this is also cultural/historical, cities like NY and Chicago have been financial hubs for centuries.

I find your petulant rants amusing. If anything, I think it's funny that you don't recognize that maybe there are things that might be a happy medium for you. For example I live in Philly, a city with probably not the best rep but definitely a better rep than Detroit. In fact, Philly has a lot of really high paying financial jobs but has a lot more of a "real" feel like what I assume you like about Detroit. Lol if you mix NYC and Detroit you basically get Philly. Now, if you say that "oh well but my gf, family, friends", etc. then you need to recognize that what you really like is your small social circle within Detroit, not so much the city itself (this is probably the case, you just don't realize it).

 

Illini -

I heard a contrasting opinion to yours in regards to how I should go about starting PWM career. This individual told me that it would be a mistake to start off in New York (Chicago, San Francisco, etc.) if I wanted to end up working in Detroit, because the most important factor in starting off a successful PWM career is building a large 'local' network...which I wouldn't be able to do if I was outside of Michigan.

Response?

 

Probably coming from someone with two or three years of experiencein PWM not in New York.

Look, this might be a great strategy for Chicago or or San Francisco where there are PWM jobs that also involve some Asset Management responsibilities. But they're going to be a lot harder to find in Detroit if that is your ultimate destination.

If you spend two years in research at an NYC BB, you get to bring a huge comparative advantage to clients. Sure, they've got a guy who knows what he's doing as a general asset manager, but you spent three years covering Energy at Morgan Stanley. Maybe he gives $10 million to his go-to financial advisor for everything else, and you become his go-to-guy for managing the energy portion of his portfolio to the tune of $1 million.

We're in an increasingly technical and specialized world. And clients don't want one generalist managing their portfolio- they want five, maybe ten specialists, all working to custom-tailor a portfolio for them based on their risk tolerance. Edward Jones' Detroit office can't offer that, but if you've got a CFA and sector specific knowledge, there's clearly a place for you in every wealthy client's portfolio- simply for the fact that few other folks in Detroit have your specialized background.

 
IlliniProgrammer:
Probably coming from someone with two or three years of experiencein PWM not in New York.

Look, this might be a great strategy for Chicago or or San Francisco where there are PWM jobs that also involve some Asset Management responsibilities. But they're going to be a lot harder to find in Detroit if that is your ultimate destination.

If you spend two years in research at an NYC BB, you get to bring a huge comparative advantage to clients. Sure, they've got a guy who knows what he's doing as a general asset manager, but you spent three years covering Energy at Morgan Stanley. Maybe he gives $10 million to his go-to financial advisor for everything else, and you become his go-to-guy for managing the energy portion of his portfolio to the tune of $1 million.

We're in an increasingly technical and specialized world. And clients don't want one generalist managing their portfolio- they want five, maybe ten specialists, all working to custom-tailor a portfolio for them based on their risk tolerance. Edward Jones' Detroit office can't offer that, but if you've got a CFA and sector specific knowledge, there's clearly a place for you in every wealthy client's portfolio- simply for the fact that few other folks in Detroit have your specialized background.

I'm sorry...I didn't really even realize that there were significant differences between PWM and asset management. Could you please elaborate on those for me a little bit. I get what you are saying about the specialization aspect...but I'd probably be able to better respond after learning a little bit more about these differences.

 

Haha i just showed this thread to my friend from Detroit and he is laughing his ass off, no one likes Detroit but you. Thank god you live in Detroit so the rest of us in the real financial world never have to encounter you. You are all that is wrong with humanity, you are the most insecure non-troll who has ever posted on WSO. Wow is all i have to say. And you are fucking high if you think Detroit is more laid back than Ft. Worth or any other city in the south (excluding Dallas). Please do everyone a favor, stay in Detroit, wearing Ed Hardy, slamming Jager bombs and talking shit to the "yuppie pussies" who come in on business and fuck your girl cause they don't drive a 89 Accord.

 
HFFBALLfan123:
Haha i just showed this thread to my friend from Detroit and he is laughing his ass off, no one likes Detroit but you. Thank god you live in Detroit so the rest of us in the real financial world never have to encounter you. You are all that is wrong with humanity, you are the most insecure non-troll who has ever posted on WSO. Wow is all i have to say. And you are fucking high if you think Detroit is more laid back than Ft. Worth or any other city in the south (excluding Dallas). Please do everyone a favor, stay in Detroit, wearing Ed Hardy, slamming Jager bombs and talking shit to the "yuppie pussies" who come in on business and fuck your girl cause they don't drive a 89 Accord.

you strike me as a loser that takes a lot of shit in the real world bc you are a pussy...and then assaults random people on the internet to vent your frustrations. you should probably see a shrink.

also...one person not liking detroit = i'm the only person who likes detroit!? you sound smart. and fyi - bc i'm guessing that you're still in school or just starting in finance - attractive women, that aren't prostitutes, don't have one night stands with ugly rich men. they might marry you, fuck good looking poor men on the side, and then move to the beach with said good looking poor man and half of your bank account. but no amount of money will ever make a woman want to "fuck" you. steal from you, sure. but fuck you, no. sorry. they still prefer good looking men that make 60k a year for that. you'll find out all about this in due time though.

 
Brady Hoke:
you strike me as a loser that takes a lot of shit in the real world bc you are a pussy...and then assaults random people on the internet to vent your frustrations. you should probably see a shrink.

As an irony-loving yuppie from San Francisco, this is my favorite comment on this thread!

“Millionaires don't use astrology, billionaires do”
 
Brady Hoke:
HFFBALLfan123:
Haha i just showed this thread to my friend from Detroit and he is laughing his ass off, no one likes Detroit but you. Thank god you live in Detroit so the rest of us in the real financial world never have to encounter you. You are all that is wrong with humanity, you are the most insecure non-troll who has ever posted on WSO. Wow is all i have to say. And you are fucking high if you think Detroit is more laid back than Ft. Worth or any other city in the south (excluding Dallas). Please do everyone a favor, stay in Detroit, wearing Ed Hardy, slamming Jager bombs and talking shit to the "yuppie pussies" who come in on business and fuck your girl cause they don't drive a 89 Accord.

you strike me as a loser that takes a lot of shit in the real world bc you are a pussy...and then assaults random people on the internet to vent your frustrations. you should probably see a shrink.

also...one person not liking detroit = i'm the only person who likes detroit!? you sound smart. and fyi - bc i'm guessing that you're still in school or just starting in finance - attractive women, that aren't prostitutes, don't have one night stands with ugly rich men. they might marry you, fuck good looking poor men on the side, and then move to the beach with said good looking poor man and half of your bank account. but no amount of money will ever make a woman want to "fuck" you. steal from you, sure. but fuck you, no. sorry. they still prefer good looking men that make 60k a year for that. you'll find out all about this in due time though.

Haha, you are such a tool. You have no reason to be this fucking arrogant. You are a HS student with no chance of actually making it in the finance world. Please refrain from trolling on this great site and wait until a used car salesman oasis is created, i hear this will be Patrick's next project after tweaking JD Oasis. Please go away, you bring nothing to this site at all, absolutely nothing. Please reply to this about how you will be fucking my wife one day because you know exactly what i look like, how much i make, what i do, and who i date. Please go back to algebra 2 and leave this fucking site you little cunt.

 

Brady you might have more pride for Detroit than the people do for there school in the Rutgers V Harvard thread...this isn't healthy maybe YOU should see a shrink

The answer to your question is 1) network 2) get involved 3) beef up your resume 4) repeat -happypantsmcgee WSO is not your personal search function.
 
blackfinancier:
Brady you might have more pride for Detroit than the people do for there school in the Rutgers V Harvard thread...this isn't healthy maybe YOU should see a shrink

yup, i was just reading an article about how being very happy with your surroundings is a serious mental illness now. they're going to add it to the dmv.

 

I like how you're constantly criticizing people for generalizations about Detroit, and then follow that up with generalizations about that person, other cities, etc. Well done. Pretty good sign you're still a child, as you're having a lot of trouble formulating coherent points.

 
jimbrowngoU:
I like how you're constantly criticizing people for generalizations about Detroit, and then follow that up with generalizations about that person, other cities, etc. Well done. Pretty good sign you're still a child, as you're having a lot of trouble formulating coherent points.

I like how you take the time to read through an entire thread and then instead of 1) responding to the question - what are the best financial positions available in detroit...or...2) moving on...you chose to take personal shots.

very un-child-like. now please go away and quit ruining the thread.

 

I still love Detroit :(

there's two of us!

lets be lovers

But seriously, Downtown Detroit is pretty laid back. Very very few Ed Hardy shirts and the people are nice. I promise.

But where it's bad, it's bad... not hard to stay out of those areas though. And the incompetent officials get me too... especially that fuck Kwame.

If your dreams don't scare you, then they are not big enough. "There are two types of people in this world: People who say they pee in the shower, and dirty fucking liars."-Louis C.K.
 

Personal shots? While I didn't respond to the direct question at hand, my initial post was to assist you in getting your question(s) answered as opposed to other, less... informative responses. In case you haven't noticed, your attitude hasn't been particularly conducive to receiving quality posts that answer your question. As a long-time member here and a reasonably active poster, I was trying to be blunt with you and give you advice on how to best get solid feedback (I also chimed in with a bit of advice on your behavior, which may have been blunt but it was true nonetheless).

 
jimbrowngoU:
Personal shots? While I didn't respond to the direct question at hand, my initial post was to assist you in getting your question(s) answered as opposed to other, less... informative responses. In case you haven't noticed, your attitude hasn't been particularly conducive to receiving quality posts that answer your question. As a long-time member here and a reasonably active poster, I was trying to be blunt with you and give you advice on how to best get solid feedback (I also chimed in with a bit of advice on your behavior, which may have been blunt but it was true nonetheless).

thanks. bye. go away.

 
JeffSkilling:
Brady Hoke = Troll

interesting point. i thought that people who went out of their way (and wasted their own precious time) in an attempt to provoke "trolls" were considered "trolls" themselves.

please go away and leave this thread to those attempting to discuss the actual question at hand.

thanks. bye.

 
Brady Hoke:
JeffSkilling:
Brady Hoke = Troll

interesting point. i thought that people who went out of their way (and wasted their own precious time) in an attempt to provoke "trolls" were considered "trolls" themselves.

please go away and leave this thread to those attempting to discuss the actual question at hand.

thanks. bye.

haha Goddamn dude you need a joint and a bj from that 'girlfriend' of yours or something. Chill.
If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 

I totally support Detroit. If I had to pick a city to start a bank, that would be the place I would want to do it. It is the epitome of the underdog, and being a guy from "flyover country" who went to school in downstate Illinois, I completely understand the desire to work in a place where you grew up and call home. I think it's sad that folks would dump on a city that will likely make a comeback.

I'm sorry...I didn't really even realize that there were significant differences between PWM and Asset Management. Could you please elaborate on those for me a little bit. I get what you are saying about the specialization aspect...but I'd probably be able to better respond after learning a little bit more about these differences.
Well, at least from my experience, PWM is about client relationships rather than actually making investment decisions for quite a long time- probably at least until you've got 10-20 years of experience. If you work in research on the other hand, you get a great deal of technical knowledge about an industry.

Entry-level jobs are boring, mind-numbing, and tough. I've worked in both quant analytics and trading, and I can say first hand that an entry-level programmer has a less grinding of a job than some poor TA who gets hired in. PWM is just as bad as trading. One of the places where you get a lot of experience early on, however, is research.

 

Thank you for the support and kind words.

IlliniProgrammer:
Well, at least from my experience, PWM is about client relationships rather than actually making investment decisions for quite a long time- probably at least until you've got 10-20 years of experience. If you work in research on the other hand, you get a great deal of technical knowledge about an industry.

Entry-level jobs are boring, mind-numbing, and tough. I've worked in both quant analytics and trading, and I can say first hand that an entry-level programmer has a less grinding of a job than some poor TA who gets hired in. PWM is just as bad as trading. One of the places where you get a lot of experience early on, however, is research.

I actually thought that Asset Management and PWM were just two different titles for what was essentially the same thing, so thank you for clearing that up.

I don't think I've mentioned this, but math really isn't one of my strengths. I've gotten all A's in my high school classes (including AP Calc), but it's been a real grind for me, and I don't think it's something that I'd want to specialize in anymore than I have to.

So, with that being said, and with starting my own hedge fund/asset management/private wealth management firm in Detroit being the long-term goal we're talking about here...would you have a different opinion about the kind of entry-level jobs I should be seeking?

Thank you very much in advance for your response!

 

You need to relax a little Brady Hoke. Starting off aiming at the highest salary possible and researching exec salaries isn't the best idea. Just think about what you want to do and then pair that with your studies in college. Salaries in Detroit could be totally different by the time you graduate, or the city could be gone. If Detroit starts making a strong comeback, the salaries could start to rise, making all of this salary research useless.

You could start investing in real estate, I am sure there are some safer areas with cheap homes. If the city comes back strong you could make a tidy profit.

"yeah, thats right" High-Five
 
David_Puddy:
You need to relax a little Brady Hoke. Starting off aiming at the highest salary possible and researching exec salaries isn't the best idea. Just think about what you want to do and then pair that with your studies in college. Salaries in Detroit could be totally different by the time you graduate, or the city could be gone. If Detroit starts making a strong comeback, the salaries could start to rise, making all of this salary research useless.

You could start investing in real estate, I am sure there are some safer areas with cheap homes. If the city comes back strong you could make a tidy profit.

David, thank you for your thoughtful response.

Here's the thing. I come from a blue-collar family and a small-Michigan town...so I'm not really super familiar with the intricies of the different fields of finance, or of the roles within those fields. I do know that I want to work in Detroit though, so that narrows it down quite a bit. I'm hoping to get some experience job-shadowing (or something?) as a high school graduate this summer. I figured that, because I really have no pre-conceived biases, I might as well start with the area's most lucrative field. If I like it, terrific. If not, I'll try something else based on my experiences there next summer as a college freshman.

There are a lot of PE-type groups here in Detroit that specialize in real-estate. It's not a bad idea, at all...but it is still a pretty risky one given the city's long recent record of incompetent leadership (and the one smart, wealthy guy that really seems to care about Detroit being well into the autumn of his life...Mike Illitch).

Thanks again though!

 

To happypantsmcgee, nouveau richie, david_puddy, and all others this concerns - either respond to the original question i posed in this thread - regarding the best finance positions available in Detroit, or please, don't respond at all (and david_puddy, i see that you did have an actual response, which i will respond to in a moment here).

it seems like some of you - maybe because of where i'm from, or because i'm a first time poster - expect me to just turn the other cheek and not strike back when you insult my city. well, i'm not ghandi, and that's not how it's going to be. people talked shit about my city, and i responded (it wasn't the other way around, go back and check if you want) with what i thought about your cities - with the difference being that i had actually spent a significant amount of time in the cities i talked about. this will be the last time i address it. if you want to be an a-hole, go be an a-hole somewhere else.

to those that have been of help, in the thread or with PM's, thank you very much - i've learned a great deal from you!

 

Brady

Me, you... we become the next "Illitch"

you down? lol

seriously though, I'd love to do it

If your dreams don't scare you, then they are not big enough. "There are two types of people in this world: People who say they pee in the shower, and dirty fucking liars."-Louis C.K.
 
scottj19x89:
Brady

Me, you... we become the next "Illitch"

you down? lol

seriously though, I'd love to do it

so down. let's get some interviews set up with illitch-holdings.

 

Dude, I don't know much about the "highest paying financial jobs in the Detroit area" nor do I care all that much, but I'd think it'd serve you well on this thread if you just showed those more experienced than you a little more respect.

You are what...17-18? Some of these guys have been working professionals for a solid few years already, during the worst recession of our generation. They know what they are talking about.

2 or 3 years down the road when you are looking for an IB stint or something comparable, who's advice do you think you are going to need?...Those you just pushed away...

"Rage, rage against the dying of the light." - DT
 
beta26:
Dude, I don't know much about the "highest paying financial jobs in the Detroit area" nor do I care all that much, but I'd think it'd serve you well on this thread if you just showed those more experienced than you a little more respect.

You are what...17-18? Some of these guys have been working professionals for a solid few years already, during the worst recession of our generation. They know what they are talking about.

2 or 3 years down the road when you are looking for an IB stint or something comparable, who's advice do you think you are going to need?...Those you just pushed away...

First of all, I've shown those who deserve respect in this thread nothing but. As for the others, frankly, I don't give a damn how experienced/successful/smart they are. If they're the kind of people that would talk shit about a place they've never been to, I really don't want anything to do with them - ever.

Second of all, I made it pretty clear that if you didn't have something to say about the financial world of Detroit, I'd prefer it if you didn't muck up the thread with your pointless posts. Thank you. Bye.

 

I'm from the Detroit area and have generally read most posts where I see something about the city or Michigan just out of curiosity. With that said, does anyone else think this new "Brady Hoke" is just "nebben2k10" under a new name? Had to look up some old posts to compare but I thought I recognized something after reading the first part of this thread..... basically asks the same basic questions but with some new lame story about being in high school and going to UofM next year or whatever

 
JBelfort:
I'm from the Detroit area and have generally read most posts where I see something about the city or Michigan just out of curiosity. With that said, does anyone else think this new "Brady Hoke" is just "nebben2k10" under a new name? Had to look up some old posts to compare but I thought I recognized something after reading the first part of this thread..... basically asks the same basic questions but with some new lame story about being in high school and going to UofM next year or whatever

No, and for the 100th time, if you don't have something helpful to say about the financial world of Detroit, please don't post.

 

brady there is no "financial world of detroit". All the major banks moved to new york like 5-10 years ago (bought by chase and others). If you want to make a lot of money, then you need to go get ur experience somewhere else and come back in a few years and start a business. And btw, I lived in detroit.. it is a fucking shithole and I hope I never see that place again. Once you leave that place you will realize how much you were missing out on.

 
noobstar:
brady there is no "financial world of detroit". All the major banks moved to new york like 5-10 years ago (bought by chase and others). If you want to make a lot of money, then you need to go get ur experience somewhere else and come back in a few years and start a business. And btw, I lived in detroit.. it is a fucking shithole and I hope I never see that place again. Once you leave that place you will realize how much you were missing out on.

well, that's one man's opinion, and i appreciate you giving it...but i've heard from plenty of others with a great deal of experience and knowledge that there's still plenty of money to be made in Detroit (especially when you consider that the cost of living is about 1/10th of what it is in NY). and i'd much rather be a big fish in the small pond that i love than a guppie in an ocean i'm not all that fond of. i've spent enough time in big cities to know that this is the right kind of place for me.

 

As a point of order, YUPpies are young, urban professionals. If you live in Detroit, or any city, and work in finance you will be one. Furthermore, the people you are so adament about hating will be your co-workers, bosses, and clients. I understand that you're lashing out because you feel it is your duty to defend your city but if you feel that you must be the defender of the common man while tearing down the "yuppie pussies" or "ugly trolls" that make $200k+ you won't make it far in finance.

The two salient points that have been offered in this thread are: go to Ross and network with Ross alumni in the area; and consider starting in another financial hub and move back to Detroit. If you want to be in equity research you may have a harder time in Detroit as that is usually only a department at larger banks and I'm not sure about the presence of such firms in Detroit.

 
craigmcdermott:
As a point of order, YUPpies are young, urban professionals. If you live in Detroit, or any city, and work in finance you will be one. Furthermore, the people you are so adament about hating will be your co-workers, bosses, and clients. I understand that you're lashing out because you feel it is your duty to defend your city but if you feel that you must be the defender of the common man while tearing down the "yuppie pussies" or "ugly trolls" that make $200k+ you won't make it far in finance.

The two salient points that have been offered in this thread are: go to Ross and network with Ross alumni in the area; and consider starting in another financial hub and move back to Detroit. If you want to be in equity research you may have a harder time in Detroit as that is usually only a department at larger banks and I'm not sure about the presence of such firms in Detroit.

agree for the most part. though by yuppie, i was more referring to the general attitude, outlook, value-system, etc. that doesn't sit well with me. i'm sure it won't be perfect here in detroit, but it will be better.

 
Brady Hoke:
agree for the most part. though by yuppie, i was more referring to the general attitude, outlook, value-system, etc. that doesn't sit well with me. i'm sure it won't be perfect here in detroit, but it will be better.
You have to pick your battles carefully. I express my- let's call it mild- disdain for aspects of Yuppie culture by always telling jokes about being thrifty and occasionally popping folks' prestige bubbles when I can do so nicely. But when you're asking for advice or help or a favor, that may not be the best time to be doing that- especially when you want to pursue prestige yourself.

Guys- this kid's seven or eight years younger than the New York City professionals posting here. When I was 17, I still thought I was smarter and wiser than my parents. Let's give him a break. He will eventually grow up, he will learn that it's hard to pursue "prestige" if he is overtly antagonistic to that kinda culture, and in four years, he will probably be as mature as the wiser college kids on this forum.

Maybe in four years if the OP has a 3.8 GPA from Ross and has matured significantly like every college student does, we will find ourselves hiring him for a job in equity research or trading. In the meantime, he is probably as mature as any high school student who did not have to wear a suit with some coat of arms embroidered on it to school.

 

Hey Brady Hoke I actually think I found something that would help you out. Sounds like you got a good head on your shoulders and are being very proactive in seeking out opportunities, good for you. I found this video about a Detroit area fund manager and his path to success, there's some good insight here that I think could be really beneficial. Enjoy

 

[quote=JeffSkilling]Hey Brady Hoke I actually think I found something that would help you out. Sounds like you got a good head on your shoulders and are being very proactive in seeking out opportunities, good for you. I found this video about a Detroit area fund manager and his path to success, there's some good insight here that I think could be really beneficial. Enjoy

]

nothing bad ever happens in NY though, right? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzkKvWBLKmo

the fact that you have nothing better to do other than look up youtube videos to ruin this thread says a lot about you. IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO CONTRIBUTE, DON'T POST.

 

[quote=JeffSkilling]

]

fucking animals... I swear

God I hate when people say they're from Detroit when they're just from a city right next to it.... Royal Oak isn't even in Detroit, it's another city. But of course those lazy welfare apes are gonna try to act hard and say they're from Detroit.

edit: I just realized that this video reminds me a lot of that scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey with the two groups of man-apes yelling at each other lol

If your dreams don't scare you, then they are not big enough. "There are two types of people in this world: People who say they pee in the shower, and dirty fucking liars."-Louis C.K.
 
scottj19x89:

fucking animals... I swear

God I hate when people say they're from Detroit when they're just from a city right next to it.... Royal Oak isn't even in Detroit, it's another city. But of course those lazy welfare apes are gonna try to act hard and say they're from Detroit.

edit: I just realized that this video reminds me a lot of that scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey with the two groups of man-apes yelling at each other lol

you're not talking about me, are you? i made it pretty clear that i'm from a small town in SE MI, not detroit. i just really like it down there.

 
jimbrowngoU:
You're right, it was the video that really took this "productive" thread over the edge. Had nothing to do with you.

please don't muck up the thread with pointless posts.

 

[quote=youngIBD]http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-22/detroit-s-population-falls-25-…]

the leadership of the city is actually pro-actively trying to "shrink" the city, to save money on police, firefighters, schools, etc...so to us here in Detroit, this isn't seen as surprising, or even as bad news. most of us, when talking about detroit, are talking about the greater metro-detroit area anyways...and a lot of these people that are "leaving" are still staying in that area.

i've explained this before, but i'll do it again. the make up of the city is as so. there's the downtown area...all the big buildings, offices, museums, stadiums, restaurants, etc. that part of the city is terrific. then there is a very thin circle around the city of very poor and uneducated people. that's the part of the city that you want to avoid - and it's not hard at all to do so. then outside of that, terrific suburban communities. most smart people working in the downtown area live there, commute in, and go home to their lovely neighborhoods without ever having to set foot in the bad areas.

it should also be known that even in that poor circle, where i have spent some time with friends who live there...rich people aren't just being jumped, robbed and rapped on every corner - as the national media coverage might lead you to believe. i don't have any statistics on hand, but you very very very rarely here of someone being assaulted or killed that wasn't himself involved in drugs, gangs, criminal activity, etc.

I addressed your post because I think it's important that those reading this thread get both sides of the story. but I would really appreciate it if we could move on and keep discussion to financial jobs in the city.

thanks

 
Brady Hoke][quote=youngIBD]<a href=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-22/detroit-s-population-falls-25-to-lowest-level-in-a-century.html[/quote rel=nofollow>http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-22/detroit-s-population-falls-25-…</a>:

the leadership of the city is actually pro-actively trying to "shrink" the city, to save money on police, firefighters, schools, etc...so to us here in Detroit, this isn't seen as surprising, or even as bad news. most of us, when talking about detroit, are talking about the greater metro-detroit area anyways...and a lot of these people that are "leaving" are still staying in that area.

thanks

They're trying to shrink the size of the city due to the shrinking population. This is a reaction to the fleeing of people from Detroit, not a proactive policy. A city that was built for 2MM people and has http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/16/shrinking-detroit-back-to-…

 

I take it school just let out and you have retired to your basement with a few fresh pop tarts to talk shit to people actually in the world you so desperately try to enter.

I am awaiting updates on a model and wait with bated breath for your ridiculous response, somehow centering around a recent movie or reality tv show you saw which the asshole banker from NY gets screwed. Go do your homework and stop popping up on my screen via "All Recent Content".

 
HFFBALLfan123:
I take it school just let out and you have retired to your basement with a few fresh pop tarts to talk shit to people actually in the world you so desperately try to enter.

I am awaiting updates on a model and wait with bated breath for your ridiculous response, somehow centering around a recent movie or reality tv show you saw which the asshole banker from NY gets screwed. Go do your homework and stop popping up on my screen via "All Recent Content".

so much wrong with this post that i won't even bother responding to it. please leave this thread to ppl actually trying to help. thanks. bye.

 

I'd just like to say one thing — I never shit on Detroit. I've never been there, so what basis would I have for that? Nor did I take personal attacks on you (you may consider me calling you a "child" to be a personal attack, but I was really just referencing your behavior). My initial post was advice on how to AVOID all the crap you've gotten in this thread... I realize it was not particularly helpful for your Detroit financial firm search, but it could have helped you avoid the 70+ posts you've gotten harrassing you, Detroit, etc.

I promise I am done with posting in this thread (unless I am enlightened by someone who has knowledge of the Detroit finance scene and I feel I can provide some insights), so no need for you to ask for the 104th time for everyone to stop mucking up this thread.

 
jimbrowngoU:
I'd just like to say one thing — I never shit on Detroit. I've never been there, so what basis would I have for that? Nor did I take personal attacks on you (you may consider me calling you a "child" to be a personal attack, but I was really just referencing your behavior). My initial post was advice on how to AVOID all the crap you've gotten in this thread... I realize it was not particularly helpful for your Detroit financial firm search, but it could have helped you avoid the 70+ posts you've gotten harrassing you, Detroit, etc.

I promise I am done with posting in this thread (unless I am enlightened by someone who has knowledge of the Detroit finance scene and I feel I can provide some insights), so no need for you to ask for the 104th time for everyone to stop mucking up this thread.

thanks. cya.

 
Brady Hoke:
blackfinancier:
How you have positive nanners is beyond me....

help or find something better to do, please.

No i refuse to find something better to do, and you are beyond help that is more than obvious you do not know how to take constructive criticism. How do you plan on advancing in the business world? Do you think Day 1 you will be giving orders? Highly doubtful unless you create something, but seeing as you are too ignorant to take correction from people that is highly unlikely.

You sir are #notwinning

The answer to your question is 1) network 2) get involved 3) beef up your resume 4) repeat -happypantsmcgee WSO is not your personal search function.
 
Brady Hoke:
is there a way to block posters on this site?

Oh yes, there most certainly is. As a moderator, I've considered doing it to you and deleting this thread about a dozen times.

However, if you're somehow implying that we should block established community members like blackfinancier and HFFBALLfan123 from the site because some close-minded high school student can't handle people telling him to calm the fuck down, then no, that is not a realistic option.

Also, though you created this thread, it does not belong to you. Try as you might to ask people to stop posting on it, you have no authority to get people to stop. We could have a 1,000 post conversation about Singapore or hot dogs or lamps or something else that has nothing to do with Detroit and there's nothing you can do about it.

Either ignore the shitty posters you disagree with or fight them tooth-and-nail, they're not going to stop.

“Millionaires don't use astrology, billionaires do”
 
Nouveau Richie:
Brady Hoke:
is there a way to block posters on this site?

Oh yes, there most certainly is. As a moderator, I've considered doing it to you and deleting this thread about a dozen times.

However, if you're somehow implying that we should block established community members like blackfinancier and HFFBALLfan123 from the site because some close-minded high school student can't handle people telling him to calm the fuck down, then no, that is not a realistic option.

Also, though you created this thread, it does not belong to you. Try as you might to ask people to stop posting on it, you have no authority to get people to stop. We could have a 1,000 post conversation about Singapore or hot dogs or lamps or something else that has nothing to do with Detroit and there's nothing you can do about it.

Either ignore the shitty posters you disagree with or fight them tooth-and-nail, they're not going to stop.

No...I was actually just wondering if there was a way for me to ignore certain posters. Thanks anyways though.

 

idk, graduate from michigan (ross, hopefully), get a good job in detroit - after spending a couple years in ny if i have to - make six figures, marry my girlfriend, get a nice house in the burbs, get an apartment/office in the city for late nights at work (or with friends), have some kids, spend my free time playing adult league sports/golf/bowling/etc. and going to red wings/lions/tigers/pistons games with life-long friends.

sounds like a nice life to me! :)

now please, go away.

 
Brady Hoke:
idk, graduate from michigan (ross, hopefully), get a good job in detroit - after spending a couple years in ny if i have to - make six figures, marry my girlfriend, get a nice house in the burbs, get an apartment/office in the city for late nights at work (or with friends), have some kids, spend my free time playing adult league sports/golf/bowling/etc. and going to red wings/lions/tigers/pistons games with life-long friends.

sounds like a nice life to me! :)

now please, go away.

Now that you have accepted that you will eventually have to leave MI, I guess life will then be looking up for you.. maybe but drop the attitude sooner you realize you don't know everything the better....also I'm probably not much older than you but you'd have no idea.

The answer to your question is 1) network 2) get involved 3) beef up your resume 4) repeat -happypantsmcgee WSO is not your personal search function.
 
blackfinancier:

Now that you have accepted that you will eventually have to leave MI, I guess life will then be looking up for you.. maybe but drop the attitude sooner you realize you don't know everything the better....also I'm probably not much older than you but you'd have no idea.

i acknowledged that a long time ago actually. thanks. bye.

 
Brady Hoke:
idk, graduate from michigan (ross, hopefully), get a good job in detroit - after spending a couple years in ny if i have to - make six figures, marry my girlfriend, get a nice house in the burbs, get an apartment/office in the city for late nights at work (or with friends), have some kids, spend my free time playing adult league sports/golf/bowling/etc. and going to red wings/lions/tigers/pistons games with life-long friends.

Your original post said you want to live and work in the City of Detroit. You've already changed your mind to live in the 'burbs?

"yeah, thats right" High-Five
 

Brady, I kinda feel bad (mostly because I have been drinking) about the way your seemingly serious question was answered. Here is what I would do if I were you. Since you are so young and you apparently believe that Detroit is on the upswing, try to get something for this summer or next doing bitch work in a corporate/public finance type role in the city government. It will give you the chance to see the workings of the city and law the ground work to make the difference you so desperately want to make. I would also explore the idea of trying to get something in RE as it would probably be somewhere that you could learn a lot in an unusual environment. Each of these roles would probably be unpaid but might still be worth looking into.

If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 
happypantsmcgee:
Brady, I kinda feel bad (mostly because I have been drinking) about the way your seemingly serious question was answered. Here is what I would do if I were you. Since you are so young and you apparently believe that Detroit is on the upswing, try to get something for this summer or next doing bitch work in a corporate/public finance type role in the city government. It will give you the chance to see the workings of the city and law the ground work to make the difference you so desperately want to make. I would also explore the idea of trying to get something in RE as it would probably be somewhere that you could learn a lot in an unusual environment. Each of these roles would probably be unpaid but might still be worth looking into.

I haven't really had much interest in pursuing a public policy career...but it would still certainly give me a unique insight...and i like the real estate idea as well. i'll look into real estate for sure. maybe public finance.

 

I am not 100% sure how constructive it is to pull the moderator card in an argument rather than use it. Oh well, to each their own.

Really liked Happy's post.

MOD EDIT: Don't believe I have the power!? JK & Touché Illini. Perhaps next time I should just act instead of threatening to do so. I just wanted to see if the guy would finally start listening to criticism (though I definitely can't say he has yet). Also, no matter how frustrating he is to the rest of us, I think he has an honest inquiry and still deserves to pursue answers... even if it's unbearable to the masses, haha. -Nouveau Richie

 

It should be noted that i am more than willing to help anyone that is younger if they are not a total tool and think they know everything about everything. Black for example is a young guy who takes criticism and advice in stride and realizes he should listen to older people. I have only been working in PE for around a year, so when CompBanker and Pimp talk i shut the fuck up and listen to advice.

PS, Brady is clearly a racist if he disagrees with Black...

 
HFFBALLfan123:
PS, Brady is clearly a racist if he disagrees with Black...
Agreed, thats the CNN approach so I tend to believe it blindly.
If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 
happypantsmcgee:
HFFBALLfan123:
PS, Brady is clearly a racist if he disagrees with Black...
Agreed, thats the CNN approach so I tend to believe it blindly.

hahahaha

The answer to your question is 1) network 2) get involved 3) beef up your resume 4) repeat -happypantsmcgee WSO is not your personal search function.
 
HFFBALLfan123:
I've learned if you are constantly calling other people racists, no one will ever call you a racist... just playing the game
haha touche.
If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 
Brady Hoke:
I'm just not going to respond to posts that arent about financial positions in Detroit anymore. There's just too much ignorance to respond to. Sorry.

You don't see it, do you? That by writing this post you're actually...

“Millionaires don't use astrology, billionaires do”
 
IlliniProgrammer:
Maybe it's time to let it go. How old is everyone here anyways? And we are getting in a fight with a 17-year-old?

I thought he was 18

The answer to your question is 1) network 2) get involved 3) beef up your resume 4) repeat -happypantsmcgee WSO is not your personal search function.
 

Sunt consectetur doloribus tempora rerum nam. Optio ut aspernatur blanditiis harum esse repudiandae commodi.

If your dreams don't scare you, then they are not big enough. "There are two types of people in this world: People who say they pee in the shower, and dirty fucking liars."-Louis C.K.
 

Doloremque officiis vero aperiam sequi modi culpa sunt ex. Fugit cum ad omnis ad qui facere voluptatem. Labore enim dolorem sunt eos accusamus. Rerum distinctio incidunt quia quaerat sapiente iusto exercitationem.

Rem quam porro omnis incidunt dolor. Accusamus labore est neque architecto laboriosam. Nesciunt quo fugit quae dolor rerum saepe.

Consectetur corporis et omnis autem quae. Quisquam consectetur possimus sed id quam quibusdam.

 

Nam ducimus rerum officiis quia est. Sunt ipsum ex dolor est suscipit ex. Et saepe animi molestias temporibus. Voluptatem enim cupiditate autem sed sunt. Eius vero sequi vel recusandae. Totam dolores fugiat itaque qui amet sint ut.

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Aspernatur similique repellendus dolor. Dolor molestiae laboriosam necessitatibus natus asperiores. Est nobis quo molestiae est et labore. Enim odio quibusdam ut et non. Suscipit quaerat odit rerum ab.

Aut adipisci sed autem accusantium quia. Reiciendis id laborum sed et officia. Magnam veritatis beatae rerum ex inventore sed aut. Eaque dolorum soluta nostrum qui.

The answer to your question is 1) network 2) get involved 3) beef up your resume 4) repeat -happypantsmcgee WSO is not your personal search function.
 

Eius reiciendis et minus nostrum quia ad ipsum molestias. Fuga aut omnis autem similique aut. Libero repellat voluptatibus occaecati dicta laudantium fugit nostrum vero. Est est explicabo debitis dolor ducimus et dolore. Accusantium possimus ad sed ex. Eius veritatis est excepturi eaque numquam voluptatem mollitia. Nobis ipsa reiciendis rem voluptate cupiditate aut aliquam.

 

Numquam sunt molestias eum aut nesciunt. In consectetur odio sed natus quia voluptatibus alias. Molestias est quaerat voluptatem iure repellendus est. Praesentium dolores excepturi voluptatibus et veritatis ut quidem.

Beatae repellendus eligendi sed ipsam. Commodi sit beatae atque. Consequatur atque deleniti ratione aspernatur magnam a ea. Eaque ipsa eum voluptas est ut.

Et voluptatem omnis autem hic. Enim vero quod consequatur ratione maxime repellendus. Similique repudiandae est enim cumque nesciunt repudiandae.

 

Iusto dolores voluptates nisi vel et qui. Ab voluptate in id quia saepe voluptatum. Reprehenderit nam atque sint mollitia est. Impedit hic est et fuga molestiae et.

Commodi est amet perferendis molestiae. Perspiciatis corporis enim nesciunt vero molestias asperiores et. Repellendus nobis qui molestiae sapiente nemo omnis consectetur. Modi veritatis natus corrupti ut qui expedita dolores. Omnis enim ut delectus soluta.

Laborum itaque ipsam officia voluptas doloremque. Optio ad veniam sequi possimus. Sed sapiente suscipit quidem doloribus odio laborum.

Vero a eum nostrum et qui. Et et exercitationem animi distinctio sequi quia soluta. Esse sunt sunt natus molestias fugit ipsum praesentium. Quasi velit ut aperiam magnam placeat exercitationem. Eos qui ut dolorem est laboriosam inventore neque rerum.

 

Deleniti et aut modi occaecati distinctio qui sequi. Minima accusamus necessitatibus nisi inventore quia. Eveniet consequuntur facere incidunt quisquam saepe deleniti ut. Voluptas aut debitis sint quia atque et. Molestiae dolore iusto in delectus dolore. Aut eligendi vel eaque. Enim placeat quas sed rerum odit soluta.

Quis adipisci repudiandae error sapiente alias non in. Quibusdam beatae culpa accusamus consequatur ut. Cupiditate maiores dolore sit at non amet. Ratione error fuga quae id totam non. Vel quam quibusdam rerum distinctio accusantium sequi. Facilis voluptas distinctio velit sed animi maxime.

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