Currently doing an internship in equity research. Before this, I did 6 months in compliance in an asset management firm. I graduate next year from university and I still don't know whether I want to join the buy side or the sell side. I like IB but I'm also very interested in investing. How should I go about making a decision?
Trending Content
| +106 | At what point should you give up? | 57 | 9h | |
| +37 | Recruiting while unemployed | 16 | 1d | |
| +37 | I am lost on the next step - Need Advice | 8 | 3d | |
| +25 | SF vs NY IB Stint | 10 | 2d | |
| +22 | Incoming freshmen at bocconi - SA 2025 recruiting | 15 | 1d | |
| +19 | NYC Consumer PE/Growth Funds with decent comp but amazing WLB? | 6 | 1d | |
| +19 | Trying to break into IB | 7 | 11h | |
| +18 | Job Switch Advice | 3 | 19h | |
| +17 | Career Path Advice Needed | 5 | 6d | |
| +16 | SHIFTING FROM LAW TO FINANCE | 10 | 16h |
Career Resources
Doing compliance isn't buy side.
Go with compliance on the buy side. Firms are only going to get more and more compliant from here. Nothing but upside. P72 monitors calls and emails for non REG-FD stuff, and I'd imagine that this becomes more widespread. On the other hand, Asset managers are facing margin compression as passive becomes more popular due to active underperformance and sell side is facing margin compression from a mixture of buy side pressures, MIFID, and weak trading volumes. But.... you get a bit more pay, like 1 or 2 zeros. Honestly, it's a toss-up. The only way you can go wrong is if you are doing buyside/sellside work and hours for a compliance job's salary.
Buy side if actual buy side, not compliance. Otherwise get the best possible sell side role in order to jump to the buy side later. Curious though as to why exactly you said you like IB. Could you elaborate?
Yes, I know. I don't really want to do compliance again to be honest. From IB I like valuation models and analysing companies. And from AM I like the financial markets in general even though I was not exposed to them in my compliance job.
It sounds like you would probably prefer buy side in an overall sense, that is if you want skin in the game and are comfortable with risk. I saw IB as a common necessity to get there, but I lucked out and didn't have to take that route. At this stage your net should be super wide. What are your asset class preferences?
Dicta libero amet minus explicabo corporis facilis ipsam. Id est inventore doloremque molestias minima. Totam voluptatem fugit aliquid.
Aspernatur at saepe occaecati eum dignissimos. Consequatur dicta ut possimus optio aut. Vel facere fugit assumenda tempora minima minima rerum. Consequuntur harum minus et provident quasi harum.
Corrupti optio accusantium architecto est repudiandae. Aut accusamus enim consequatur qui. Deleniti enim amet sit quam eos. Ipsum quaerat aspernatur ad aut amet numquam.
Et tempora quod amet eaque corporis iusto. Rerum voluptatibus in non quisquam. Autem molestiae ab vel. Et nemo eos atque. Possimus sunt voluptatum ipsam recusandae voluptatum. Sed praesentium consequuntur provident quia accusantium.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...