How to get a job at Hedge Fund.

Do you work at Hedge Fund? How did you find the job? How did you get that first interview?

Any advice for someone trying to get in?

Some words to the wise for those considering a hedge fund job:

1. Begin with the end in mind. High stress, high pay (sometimes). Although not as intense as investment banking, you can expect some anxiety.

2. Play to your strengths. If you are a C++ master and love finance, then head down the quantitative path. If you’re more of an extrovert, consider something in a third party marketing firm.

3. Allow some time for taking your bumps along the way. Very few people hit it big early. Don't get upset if the fund manager is raking in the money - consider the firm is paying you to learn on the job.

4. Be flexible to get started. Where you start is NOT where you finish. Work your way up and learn at each step of the way.

5. Find relevant hedge fund job opportunities. Although the big job boards say they have thousands of jobs available, there simply are not thousands of hedge fund jobs open at any given time. Focus your time on specific searches (indeed or simplyhired) or use a service that only provides jobs in the hedge fund industry (www.jobsearchdigest.com/hedge_fund_jobs).

6. Flex that network. You must know someone in alternative finance, right? If not, work your alumni network, attend hedge fund events, and even consider a move to the Big Apple. Also, consider online networking such as the “Hedge Fund Jobs” group on www.LinkedIn.com.

7. Find a recruiter in the industry. Forget generic recruiting firms - fund managers won't use them. Keep in mind, the vast majority of funds are small, so there won't be an HR director to talk to. That is why recruiters are so important in this industry.

8. Develop some expertise. Become a student of investment strategies such as: Arbitrage, Distressed Securities, Emerging Markets, Event Driven, Funds of Funds and Global Macro. There are plenty of great books out there on these strategies (and many more) – take the time to learn about them.

Good Luck!

Good tips on getting a hedge fund job. Just to add to those sentiments, particularly #5 - Find Relevant Hedge Fund Opportunities.

Remember that there are approximately 3,000 individual hedge fund companies operating in the US. In addition to networking and job-boards, it can be useful to get a legitimate hedge fund list so you can send your resume and cover letter out to potential employers that may be hiring.

Some of the top suppliers of hedge fund lists/directories:
1. BarclayHedge.com - The biggest and most respected (though expensive)

2. HedgeFundJobList.com - Aimed at job-seekers, great value

3. Morningstar.com - Provider of stock and other information.

Get a list you can download so you can sort information and filter which hedge funds you would like to contact with your resume. This is a somewhat time-consuming tactic, but a good one, and made much easier by starting with a good list.