Hi all,
First time poster, so please forgive me for any poor WSO etiquette.
Basically I'm an Australian undergraduate, undertaking a Bachelor of Commerce with coursework majors in Accounting and Finance. My university is not necessarily a 'target uni', but has seen a fair few ambitious and hungry graduates break into bulge bracket investment banks.
I have a corporate restructuring summer analyst gig at a mid-tier accountancy firm lined up for later this year and am interviewing with a family office next week for some unpaid experience. I am also in contact with the asset management division at a resources fund, with an investment analyst who is trying to help me get my foot in the door. I have contacted the research department at a few brokerage firms, but have been shunned away so far.
At the minute, I work on a mobile/casual basis for a student-run equity research team which spans over multiple countries (including US and HK). I've worked on a few equity research reports and have built basic DCF models.
After mucking around in my first year, with a lack of direction and clear set of goals - I ruined my WAM/GPA. It currently sits at a very weak distinction (not good enough for BBIB standards in Australia). Given that I am unlikely to hit a bulge bracket at the graduate level, I'm already cold contacting and networking ferociously for any relevant opportunities.
I've realised that investing is really what I love. I pulled an all-nighter on my 18th just so I could legally open my own brokerage account. My first ever long-term trade yielded 46% ROI (in the space of 8 months). I don't think I will go for the traditional M&A route, in the long-term - I see myself working at a hedge fund.
Would appreciate any advice or harsh knocks of reality so I can shape my future from this day going forward.
Currently considering the following career paths, but unsure of their likelihood
1) ER at boutique [Get CFA] --> Research at BBIB (Transfer to NYC) --> Hedge Fund
2) ER at boutique [Get CFA] --> IBD M&A at BBIB (Transfer to NYC) --> Hedge Fund
3) ER at boutique [Get CFA] --> IBD M&A at BBIB (Transfer to NYC) --> Top 10 MBA --> Hedge Fund
Thanks in advance
LOL bump
Note: Lined up for summer gig at very small PE firm. Keeping all doors open at this stage...
Best way is to get into a BBIB in Australia and transfer to the US offices. Work for a few years and work at a HF.
Distinction isn't bad to get into an interview at a BBIB. Well, you should go to a GO8, that would give you better chances.
Not G8 as they didn't offer the Commerce/Science double that I wanted to do. Have spoken to Alumni at BBIBs and have been told that I'll just have to work that tad harder to break in which I expected.
At the risk of sounding negative, Op's right. Distinction average at G08 is bare minimum in my view. With that said, there are a lot of alternate paths to a lucrative finance career that are lost in the immaturity of this forum.
My advice would be to focus on what's in your immediate future, and ignore any temptation to please yourself with grandiose aspirations of NY funds. Kill it during your remaining time at uni. There are a LOT of opportunities at big 4 retail banks (in markets divisions) to make good money working 9-5. They also are substantially less competitive, and provide a lot of other alternative opportunities.
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