I'm great at research, but I want to make more money

You've been in your field one year, and your an "amazing" researcher?

What makes you amazing? You are probably not as good as you think - if this post is serious.

shockingly I'm very good. Promotion coming in 6 months and my bonus is wildly above average. Despite that, just assume for argument purposes, where do I go as an analyst to make more money, that would be ultimately more challenging?

You are a researcher with one year of experience. Now I want you to give strong consideration to what I just said. With your ONE year of experience, who do you think will give you considerably more pay given your limited work experience?

Pipe down buddy, and weigh your options. If you're looking to make 10-15K base by going to a different firm, that is a plausible option. 20K + , give yourself at least another year to think it over before before that may be a potential reality.

Whether or not you are planning to go to business school, by chasing the incremental salary raises at your age jumping from firm to firm and not seeing the big picture, you are in fact hurting your career prospects, your long-term salary goals and graduate school outlook.

If you're that good at research, perhaps you should look to start investing your money. Literally put your money where your mouth is. Probably should get things cleared with legal/compliance first though.

Though in all seriousness, research really isn't a field with high salaries. You might want to do what you mentioned, switching to S&T or something if you're that concerned with salary. Your best bet is probably to stay for another year and make the switch as a second-year.

no need to get testy. I want to leave and make more money. Equity research hasn't challenged me enough to be honest. The cash sales look like they've never graduated high school.

Anyway, any suggestions to make more money? I'm thinking credit research, but that is boring. I'm thinking derivatives sales but that seems more mathy and probably boring.

I'm trying to find something as interesting as Equity research but with more money. I'm greedy, but who isn't?

Any reasonable suggestions would be nice fellas.

Thanks Xistguru, I'll crack 100k my first year, but honestly, I'm looking to pull down high 6 figures at least, and frankly, unless I'm a top pharma guy, those days in equity research are done. Although, people keep telling me that because of hedgie's, it's making a comeback. Who knows.

Honestly, your best bet is to stay for another year, and try to move to the buyside at a hedgefund or something that concentrates on fundamental analysis.

Thanks. Any links on Hedge fund money/hours? Hopefully it is as interesting as ER, but with way more chedda.

word. owned.

I'm just lazy and I do research all day. I can look it up but it's SOOOOOO much easier if someone's done the work for me!

Post us your best investment idea with brief bullet points

yeah, cuz that's a brilliant idea.

If you are that good - lets hear some ideas.

To protect your current interests, make the ideas outside of the sector you cover.

well in research, his current interests wouldn't be the sector he covers because he cannot trade within that sector. I doubt he will give any advice, but ratul, if you are good, I'm sure you could "dazzle" us one way or another.

ratul, if you were that good at your job, you should have plenty of potential clients and lots of "ins" with your own sales force/trading desk, and through all the people you'd supposedly know, you should easily be able to feel out what exit opportunities exist for you. as such, the very nature of your inquiry about "Exit options" potentially betrays your true inexperience.

and if you already have your own coverage of pharma after one year, you probably don't work at a very competitive bank. that's not intended as an offense or anything, but the reality is that not everyone can be competitive.

here's my situation - I'm not challenged by ER and my boss is more meritocratic than focused on hierarchy. Anyway, my success has not come from client interaction, but innovative research that I am able to do that others are not. Lots of firms out there with crap research and we know this. Further, our house analyst is a top dude and he is surprised in my abilities and expects me to progress rapidly. It is possible to be fundamentally good at understanding the sector.

Also, one caveat. I wrote my MSc dissertation on the sector etc and received a distinction from a top 10 global university.

Anyway, I guess people feel the need to nit pick rather than put forth solid advice.

Unlike the others, I believe it is possible to be a great research analyst within one year. Experience will only smooth off the rough edges.

A smart person that is willing to learn can be taught all the tools and techniques in a fortnight that they will need in their career.

My question is what criteria you are using to determine you are great at research? That will determine what is the best route to maximise your earning potential. Beyond that, it will also help guide you towards doing something that you love rather than something that pays well.