I’m curious to know people’s thoughts on the maximum age you can be before you get your first good finance job (presumably some front office role). Realistically speaking, I would think a 50 year old construction worker has virtually zero chance of “breaking in” to the industry. So there must be some sort of maximum age. If by the time you are 30 you still have not entered a trading/PM/research role regardless of past and future credentials, I would think your window is pretty much closing very rapidly. I once interviewed at a HF where the head guy got in to finance after 40 after a successful medical career. But this is very rare. I’m 26 now. I’m just attempting to sort out my options. I may try to start a business within the next 5 years instead of pursuing finance. What do other people think?
If you’re talking about the sell-side, good luck if you’re not a 22 year old 2010 Ivy League grad. If you’re talking about the buy-side, I’ve seen many different hedge funds hire people of all ages and backgrounds. It’s more of a meritocracy and predicated on what kind of knowledge you have to offer the fund.
Mid 30s is the cut off in my opinion. For people younger than that, age is not as important as entry opportunities. For instance, a 30-year-old with some random job is not the same as a 30-year-old MBA student. 26 is probably not to old to start, but you need some way to break into the industry (like an MBA).
SMIRK Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > If you’re talking about the sell-side, good luck > if you’re not a 22 year old 2010 Ivy League grad. > If you’re talking about the buy-side, I’ve seen > many different hedge funds hire people of all ages > and backgrounds. It’s more of a meritocracy and > predicated on what kind of knowledge you have to > offer the fund. What he said…
SMIRK nailed it.
topher Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I’m curious to know people’s thoughts on the > maximum age you can be before you get your first > good finance job (presumably some front office > role). Realistically speaking, I would think a 50 > year old construction worker has virtually zero > chance of “breaking in” to the industry. So there > must be some sort of maximum age. > > If by the time you are 30 you still have not > entered a trading/PM/research role regardless of > past and future credentials, I would think your > window is pretty much closing very rapidly. I once > interviewed at a HF where the head guy got in to > finance after 40 after a successful medical > career. But this is very rare. > > I’m 26 now. I’m just attempting to sort out my > options. I may try to start a business within the > next 5 years instead of pursuing finance. What do > other people think? I thought you were already in the industry
Man, I hope people are wrong with the age thing. Unless you are mid twenties you are done? Not everybody is going to be a high roller, there are all kinds of finance roles. For example, I am sure a mid thirties guy could get a job as a credit analyst in a fixed income shop with some hard work. It is not going to get you a cabin in Aspen but life would go on. Another element that people need to consider is internal hiring. Hiring managers in your own company might not get caught up with the age factor when reviewing an individual with a good track record in the company, even in operations.
Read SMIRK’s post again. Anybody can get hired on the buyside as long as you can credibly add value.
I bet Edward Jones has no age cap
AlexP Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Man, I hope people are wrong with the age thing. > Unless you are mid twenties you are done? > > Not everybody is going to be a high roller, there > are all kinds of finance roles. For example, I am > sure a mid thirties guy could get a job as a > credit analyst in a fixed income shop with some > hard work. It is not going to get you a cabin in > Aspen but life would go on. > > Another element that people need to consider is > internal hiring. Hiring managers in your own > company might not get caught up with the age > factor when reviewing an individual with a good > track record in the company, even in operations. How is getting a credit analyst role at a fixed income firm any easier than getting an equity analyst role at an equity shop?
FIAnalyst Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > How is getting a credit analyst role at a fixed > income firm any easier than getting an equity > analyst role at an equity shop? There’s less BS in FI.
im pretty sure the medical guy leveraged his medical background in ER, VC, or the like.
I got my first job on wall street as a sell-side equity research analyst (for a team that is ranked on II every year since 2001) with LEH (NYC). I was 27.5 years old. Prior to that I was with a BIG 4 accounting firm. No MBA. No ivy league education. Non U.S. citizen. Don’t give up buddy. Ignore the noise. If you work hard for it and truly want it, you will get it. Luck = When hardwork meets opportunity.
Age is not a big factor for analyst or Financial advisor.
What kind of Analyst?
Similar to sid. No MBA, no ivy league and started sell side when I was a little over 30. I wasn’t an industry expert either. Good luck.
care to share any insight into breaking in? Getting in through personal connections are outliers imo.
BiPolarBoyBoston Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > care to share any insight into breaking in? > Getting in through personal connections are > outliers imo. I got my break by posting my resume on LEH’s website; It took three months to get the interview. My other research interviews also came by posting my resume on company websites. Headhunters were useless; infact they discouraged me from applying to equity research jobs by saying that I cannot get in given my academic and professional background. From start to finish it took me about five months to get the research job.
Good to see comments like Sid3699 and hobbes928
sid3699 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > BiPolarBoyBoston Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > care to share any insight into breaking in? > > Getting in through personal connections are > > outliers imo. > > > I got my break by posting my resume on LEH’s > website; It took three months to get the > interview. My other research interviews also came > by posting my resume on company websites. > > Headhunters were useless; infact they discouraged > me from applying to equity research jobs by saying > that I cannot get in given my academic and > professional background. > > From start to finish it took me about five months > to get the research job. wow you applied and got interview through the job websites. congrats. where are you at in your career right now if you don’t mind me asking?