I am looking for information on analyst opportunities with one of the rating agencies. How is the work, pay, etc.? Are there good exit opportunities? Would it be a good place to start for someone trying to break into equity research? Any insight would be appreciated.
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Hi
I work at S&P.
The work is fairly laid back and so is the pay. If your just out of college you will start off as a Research Assitant at about 65-70K. You will be an Analyst in two years and make about 85k. If you have a Masters, you start of Associate at about 95k. There are decent exit opportunities if your a analysts covering credits in a major industry. After about 4-8 years you will have enough experience to work for investors who need experienced poeple in a particular industry. You may want to decide ahead of time what industry you want to cover and apply for a Reaerch Assitant postion when one opens up. This is all on the fixed income side which is the largest part of the firm. I dont know about the equity analyts, there not a particularly important IMO. You can jump from a fixed income analyst inside the firm to an equity analyst outside the firm form the job postings I see from time to time.
If you want to have a family or a life outside Wall Street but want to work in finance, a Rating Agency is the best for that though its not typically the best place for career advancment though I have known some analysts move quickly to I-banks but that is the exception not the rule.
How much of a quantitative/finance engineering background would be required for fixed income research?
Stay away from the agencies, unless you love bureaucracy.
Thank you for the input.
I am not looking at a particular job posting. I come from more of corporate accounting background and would like to get into financial services, particularly ER. I thought a rating agency would be a logical step. I would be looking for a position that RHS pretty much described - a research assistant or analyst that covers a particular sector, maybe does some modeling, credit analysis, etc.
Flyingmonkey - is this is in general for all agencies or are some more bureaucratic than others?
PM me
Research assistant starting pay is around 60, exit opps are to a bank, e.g. research, ratings agency advisory, sales (customized), 1 or 2 interview days (with 3-6 people depending on the sector). experience is phenomenal due to learning opps, contacts, transferable skill set.
From rating agency to IB (Originally Posted: 04/12/2013)
Hello everyone,
So as graduation quickly approaches, I have been one of the many unlucky souls still in the search of a meaningful full time job. I have been recently granted an interview with a rating agency for an ABS Analyst and had a few questions I'd hope someone could answer.
Mainly, what are the possibilities of switching from a rating agency to an investment banking group, DCM, or a Lev Fin group at an investment bank?
Would this be a better possibility after I obtain a graduate degree and/or CFA?
My end goal is to somehow work my way into a hedge fund or an Asset Management position, and given my options, the ABS Analyst position would be the most analytical and closest to modeling I could get at this point.
Any tips or advice is much appreciated.
Thanks!
Read this (not enough bananas for a live link): Global Credit Rating Agency ---> Backdoor to High Finance
My advice: Join the best firm/group possible where you will get training/mentorship and take full advantage of every opportunity. If it is an ABS group at a CRA take it and pursue the CFA charter. You best exit opportunities will most likely be becoming an ABS investment banker or an ABS investor.
Thanks, I tried searching for stuff like this on WSO but didn't really find much in my initial search.
EDIT: Retract that statement. I commented on the afore mentioned thread for God's sake
Read this portion of your post and you'll have your answer. It seems as though you know the answer, but looking for re-assurance. Take the position and kick ass.
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