If there was ever an industry where “who you know” matters as much as what you know, hedge funds would be it. In addition to a passion and track record in investing and a stellar resume, you’ll need a solid network of contacts to uncover that elusive hedge fund job.
Start with your personal contacts, of course: friends, family members, classmates and colleagues who may know people in the hedge fund industry. You’ll expand on this by joining online networking sites such as LinkedIn, joining investment groups and participating in online discussions. Get involved in a few industry blogs, such as Alpha Calling here at JobSearchDigest, and post comments whenever appropriate.
Your online efforts can pay off handsomely. We know of one professional who has parlayed his blog on the hedge fund industry into an active consulting practice and a hedge fund training organization. He did it through his passion for the industry, research, and providing relevant articles that provided more education than other hedge fund blogs.
Be sure to exploit the alumni network at your business and undergraduate schools. It’s possible that they have alumni that work in hedge funds, and the common bond of schools can potentially open doors for you. In addition, many top business schools put on networking events during the year and invite hedge fund professionals to speak at them.
Join investment and hedge fund clubs and associations. A quick web search reveals there are hedge fund clubs serving various regions of the world, such as the Asian Hedge Funds Club, clubs formed by alumni, such as The Wharton Hedge Fund Network (WHFN), and many others. The Hedge Funds Network for example, is a networking group of over 10,000 professionals currently managing hedge funds and alternative investments.
Next time we’ll look at other ways to expand your network and resources you can use.
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