career switch to Asset management job

Well, here is one burn-out sell-side analyst stucked at work, looking forward to moving to buy-side one day or at least pray for the good times to come back so that I can retire early.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I'm a retired senior fund manager, previously from one of the global fund management houses. The buyside is currently quite tight, with few people leaving. Hence few opportunities. It will be quite difficult for you to get into a global fund management house, even in a gopher-type position, without going to a top university. There are a lot of burnt out but experienced sell-side salesmen and analysts trying to get into the buyside and being just a financial advisor will not put you in good stead.

Since you are young, I would suggest that you try:

1. Local banks fund management operations like Lion Global, DBSAM or UOBAM. They do recruit local graduates and after a 5-year or so stint there as an analyst, you may be offered a portfolio management position, and in time be able to move to a global buyside house.
2. Work for one of the many hedge funds or family office funds
3. Get a job as a sellside analyst or salesman. Work 18 hr days until you are well-known within the industry. Then, move over to the buyside.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Well, here is one burn-out sell-side analyst stucked at work, looking forward to moving to buy-side one day or at least pray for the good times to come back so that I can retire early.

I'm sure you can already retire if you're not too greedy.

Originally Posted by danieldaniel

Hi guys. I am an eng-trained professional who wants to join asset management companies. I graduated with B.Eng 2nd lower from NUS 2010 and have been working for two years. Firstly as an engineer, then as a financial advisor for 7 months. I have following doubts and hope to get some advice from you all here.. thanks thanks :P

- With my current qualification & experience, am I able to get into AM companies like blackrock, miton, etc. If yes, what kinda role? opt?

- If I must go for further study, which one is more relevant and valued: MFE?, MBA? or CFA?

- If I were to take CFA cert, working experience in financial lines s required, does my 7-month financial advisor exp count? must it be at least more than 2 years?

thanks again. feeling really miserable now.. if I received good career advice 5 years ago, things would be totally different.. haiz..

1. With your credentials, you have zero chance of joining AM as an analyst/fund manager. Zero chance of getting into sales & trading/investment research in local banks. Most likely you will not even be able to get a backoffice ops role in major names like blackrock unless you're willing to try for smaller companies.

2. CFA takes 3 years to pass, assuming you pass each level at first attempt. I'm 99% sure you will take longer than 3 years. Im not looking down on you, but just trying to give you a realistic picture of the different options you're looking at and the difficulty level. If you can take 3 yrs to complete CFA, you would not have grad with a 2nd lower hons. Given that you will take a few years to complete CFA, your best bet is to do a "Good" MBA/MFE first and apply to become a research analyst in the smallest firms in Singapore. (I'm serious) Most people outside of this industry don't realise that there are many research analysts who grad from Ivy league unis, completed CFA etc working in small/local firms. It's very very very competitive. Ok but if you are contented to work in a big, branded company's backoffice, then a good MBA/MFE should suffice in getting you into the company.

3. Most people don't start in AM with no experience. You need to work at the "Sell Side" as a research analyst first. i.e. brokerages, investment banks, research firms etc. After 3-5 yrs, then maybe you can get a research role in AM. After some years, then you can become a fund manager. There are different kinds of fund managers, quantitative, macro, equities focused etc. A good MBA, MFE or CFA all can give you a chance to start off as a research analyst if you're good enough to snag the job. Some fund managers don't have any of these qualifications, but they are very talented proprietary traders. (i.e. you don't need academic certs to succeed if you're smart and can make money out of money)

4. Yes, your 7 mths experience as financial advisor is counted as relevant CFA experience. You need to accumulate 4 years of investment decision making exp on top of passing the 3 levels exams to become a CFA charterholder. (You mean you haven't check out the CFA website??) I hope i've given you a good introduction to AM..

Financial wise there tones of loans available in the state. Don't short change yourself. If you know what you want, never give up. There will be many voices saying to be realistic, what we have today is not imaginable by the peeps in the past. Those who said be realistic are those perhaps that have given up their hope, dream and goal. Just focus. Get it done. Those who comment, will there be by your side when you fail or succeed? Do you want to die in regrets? Things have change so much as compared to the past.