Good places to look for industry jobs?

[DTEJD1997]

Hey all:

 

I've been out of school since the 90's and have been working my own businesses.

 

I am contemplating going into the finance industry as an analyst.

 

Besides looking here, Monster.com and on Craigslist, does anyone have any suggestions on where to look for finding an analyst position?

 

Thanks!

[mcliu]

Why??!?!  :o

[Packer16]

You can look at the CFA web site and at local chapter web sites.

 

 

Packer

[Guest deepValue]

Send a cover letter and a stock pitch to each company you want to work for. A lot of smaller hedge funds are willing to take on someone new for low starting pay to see what they can do.

[gary17]

http://www.cornerofberkshireandfairfax.ca/employment/

[no_free_lunch]

Have you looked at wall street oasis? 

[nnayyar]

I'll throw in some others:

 

efinancialcareers.com

leverageloan.com

 

 

[fareastwarriors]

Blogger/MBA grad to investment professional at Yacktman Asset Management

 

http://www.valueuncovered.com/reflections

[Phaceliacapital]

Nice blog, thanks for the link.

 

 

[oddballstocks]

Blogger/MBA grad to investment professional at Yacktman Asset Management

 

http://www.valueuncovered.com/reflections

 

I'd second Adam's reflections, get out there and start writing.  I write a blog myself and have received numerous job offers and opportunities to manage capital through contacts I've made while writing.  It's a chance to differentiate your self and profile your thinking.

[BG2008]

Blog certainly helps.  In a way, it's a detailed and time stamped resume.  If you're looking to go the traditional route.  I think there are a few things that you should be ready for.  Wall Street guys are notorious for having a short attention span. 

 

1. Ideally, you should try to network and become friendly with someone who works at a fund.  Get to know them and get them to know your line of thinking, ways to source opportunities, etc.  This is a soft get around to the traditional interview process.  I think you should invest 6-12 months to get to know a few guys and get them to know you.   

2. Don't know anyone in Cat 1, okay, now you're going through the formal interview process for a standard research analyst position.  I can't suggest where to look.  But I would suggest a few behavioral tips.  As someone who had interviewed a few candidates from the hiring side, it's important for all candidates to tell a story of why they are pursuing that position.  For you, you need to decisively convey why you're looking to make a career switch.  If the hiring party sense any sorts of hesitation, they'll likely say no.  One of the things that I learned the hard way with job interviews is that "fit" is more important than "skills and talent".  In short, I can hire the best mathematician in the world, but he's not the right fit for flipping burgers at McDonald's.  So a concise and logical reason of why you're looking to make a career change is very important.  Other behavioral tips are suggestions that this is a very serious career move.  This isn't some sort of a college sophomore who's wavering between law school, saving the world, and investment banking.  For the hiring party, it's an investment to hire someone where the payback is likely 3-6 months away when their job skills catch up.  Don't give them any reason to doubt your intentions. 

3. Investment Ideas - Always have 5 good ideas in your pocket.  If you can walk into an interview and pitch them 3 really good ideas where they start looking into the ideas right after you leave.  Then you're probably in good shape.  Ideas are hard to come by.  For investment managers, good ideas that will make money are like cigarettes in prison.  It's a substitute for currency. 

4. Pitch your industry experience.  Your leg up over the freshly minted BS/MBA candidate will likely be the fact that you've worked in an industry long enough to talk intelligently about it.  You've been through the cycles and you understand the incentives and other quirky little facts. 

 

Good luck. 

[Packer16]

Oddballstocks,

 

Any particular reason you have decided not to manage money versus your day job?

 

Packer

[oddballstocks]

Oddballstocks,

 

Any particular reason you have decided not to manage money versus your day job?

 

Packer

 

I have a restriction from my employer that prohibits me from managing money on the side, so starting a fund with a small capital base and growing is unfortunately out of the question right now.  This means if I were to manage money from day one I'd need enough of a capital base to replace my salary and pay benefits plus fund expenses from the management fee.  I'm married and have two kids so living in an apartment and eating ramen while growing a capital base is out.

 

Instead I've been working on starting a business that I'm hoping will free me from my employer and provide a stable income.  With that I can then open a small fund, and since my salary isn't coming directly from the fund I can run a smaller base of capital (less than $10m) without worrying how I'm going to make the mortgage payment, or pay for preschool.