hjedge Keys to Getting A Hedge Fund Job
A Strong Cover Letter
Even before prospective hedge fund employers see your resume they will likely read (or glance at) your cover letter. Writing a good cover letter to send to hedge funds is absolutely crucial. You can find
tips on writing a good hedge fund cover letter and
free sample hedge fund cover letters here.
Refine Your Resume
Hopefully you have written a powerful, attention-grabbing resume, and a hedge fund manager is reviewing your resume. If you went to an elite university or have several years experience in investment banking, proprietary trading, private equity experience etc. you probably already have a the type of resume hedge funds are looking for.
For everyone else (and that is probably a large majority) the key is to demonstrate you analytical thinking abilities and desire to work tirelessly. Hedge funds jobs whether operational, trading, or research, require long work weeks. Highlight your experience (did you work part-time while attending school full-time? have you worked market-hours before? started a small-business, academic accolades). You can find more
tips on writing a hedge fund resume and
sample hedge fund resumes here.
Contact Hedge Fund Managers Directly
Most hedge funds don't post trading and research jobs on the common job boards. Though there are some job sites that cater specifically to financial careers, they are relatively light on available hedge fund jobs. Your best option, particularly if you have not worked for a hedge fund or buy-side firm before, is to contact hedge funds in your area directly. You can search the internet, but you will find that most hedge fund managers keep a low-profile and are quite difficult to find. If you are motivated, you can buy a
list of hedge funds with contact information relatively inexpensively. In poor employment markets it is particularly important to be proactive and contact funds directly, as they are unlikely to advertise positions publicly. Boutique hedge funds, those with less than $50 million in assets under management, can also be a good source for entry-level hedge fund jobs.
Prepare for Your Interview
You wrote an excellent cover letter, refined your resume, and bought a list of hedge funds and contacted several. Fortunately, you have been asked to interview for a junior analyst position at a market-neutral hedge fund in San Francisco. What now? See our hedge fund interview tips and sample hedge fund interview questions here.
The Best Hedge Fund Directories
Managed Futures, Commodities and CTA's