The benefits of working at a hedge fund include a highsalary, great perks, and the opportunity to collaborate with some of the best quantitative minds in finance. This article presents a list of top skills that hedge fund firms look for in hiring candidates.
As expected, entry into the field is highly competitive and very selective. A successful trader working at a top trading firm may not qualify for a trading position in a hedge fund, even with tremendous trading success in the past. Great quantitative skills with a proven track record, a deep understanding of the hedge fund industry as well specific firms, the right educational background, and certifications like a CFA, CAIA, or CHA (Chartered Hedge Fund Associate) are all helpful.
The skills that hedge funds look for in job candidates can be divided into two basic categories—knowledge-based skills (gained through education, self-study, and work experience) andpersonal skills in areas like communication, teamwork, and risk-taking.
Key Takeaways
- If you want to work in the hedge fund industry, prime candidates will come with a variety of useful skills and experience.
- Education is key, especially knowledge about markets and different types of assets and investments.
- Subjective and interpersonal skills are also key in addition to quantitative ability.
Knowledge-Based Skills
In-Depth Knowledge of Financial Instruments and Strategies
Hedge funds trade with client money in complex products often designed as combinations of different products with different strategies. For example, options can be combined with equities as an investment vehicle, or a complex versionof barrier options may be prepared for investing clients' money. If you lack a clear understanding of financial products and markets, you will struggle in understanding the product combinations, dependencies, and factors driving prices and performance. A good candidate must understand various financial products including options, futures, commodities, interest rates, andexotics.
In-Depth Knowledge of Markets
Attempting to trade complex combinations and strategies often leads to hitting a dead end with market regulations. It also requires the capability to understand competitors’ offerings in the marketplace, how they differ from one’s own offerings, and what advantages or disadvantages one's offering has over the others. Most hedge fund products have similar underlying concepts with different packaging. A good job candidate needs to be familiar with the existing marketplace, competitor developments, what the regulations allow, and what they prohibit.
Education
Beyond the MBA, MFin, PhD, and statistics degree holders, hedge funds pick candidates from a variety of industries and experience levels. A graduate in agriculture or meteorological studiesmay be a good fit if the hedge fund company is dealing in agro-commodities. Additionally, extracurricular credentials such as the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation can come in handy.
Quantitative Expertise
In a hedge fund, the research team comes up with an excellent trading model involving a combination of futuresand a few exotic options. Unless the entire product team (including the research team members, risk analysts, and traders) has the ability to understand and question the underlying assumptions, assess the dependencies of mathematical calculations, and perform a scenario analysis, the model will remain prone to failures. Expertise in number crunching, statistical analysis, quantitative models, and calculation dependencies is a must for hedge fund associates, irrespective of the role.
Understanding of Risk
Hedge funds are high-risk, high-return investment vehicles. However, high risk does not mean taking unlimited risk with no control. Rather, it means taking on a high risk with fair knowledge and being prepared with alternate plans when risk levels cross a predetermined threshold. Since hedge funds deal in complex strategies, risk analysis becomes complex. The job candidate needs to have good knowledge of risk assessment, not just of individual financial products, but also on portfolios and combinations.
In-Depth Knowledge of Portfolio Construction
How is the sale of ice cream related to weather derivatives? How are bond yields affected by currency valuations? Such correlations play an important role in creating a diversified portfolio of products, and a candidate should be adept at understanding and quantifying the intricacies of a portfolio.
Personal Abilities and Traits
Communication Skills
Meeting high-net-worth clients in five-star settings requires social etiquette as well as the ability to convince clients to entrust their money to you. Even if you are not applying to be part of the client-facing sales team, you may occasionally have to face clients to explain complex products and how they will generate returns on their capital. Pitching in a complex idea to the team and getting a buy-in to get it executed is equally necessary. Hedge funds look for excellent skills in both internal and external communication in job applicants.
Teamwork
Products and services from hedge funds are driven by dedicated teams, who are intended to work towards a common goal. A candidate should be a great team player, be willing to put the team’s interest before their own, be committed to the desired goal, and be willing to contribute.
Risk Tolerance
Understanding risk quantitatively is not sufficient. A hedge fund analyst should also have the emotional ability to tolerate risk. Very few people (including trading professionals) have the courage to invest in trading strategies that have a 50% loss potential for a 100% return. Even if one is not in the trading division of a hedge fund, one needs to be in sync with the product team to build consensus on such high-risk trades. Showing proven success when facing risk makes an attractive hedge fund job candidate.
The Bottom Line
High salaries, huge bonuses, and great perks attract a lot of job applicants to hedge funds, but only a few qualify. A candidate attempting to score a hedge fund job should research the industry, network to gain contacts and mentors, pursue the right education, and seek related internships. Beyond that, hedge fund job candidates should ensure that they have the necessary knowledge-based skills and personal skills required to be hired and thrive at a hedge fund.
