Hello Hardik,

What an analyst has to offer to an employer is largely abstract and creative thinking skills. These skills are intangible and difficult for recruiters to assess. That's why businesses tend to recruit from the same schools decade after decade: reliability of the candidate. This is also why they prefer people who have experience. You see, they are seeking to make tangible what is difficult to assess otherwise.

So to get your initial employment you must focus on providing concrete evidence that you have these skills. Getting a CFA charter is one powerful way of making your skills and commitment to the industry concrete for a prospective employer.

When I began my career I created a website that included: examples of my own personal research on companies, book reviews, a list of my skill set, and so forth. This will sharpen your own skill set.

Track how your recommendations do by noting the prices of assets on the day that you recommend them and then how you do over time. You MUST be honest with yourself, otherwise you won't learn anything. This is more for you than for your future employer. Markets provide a valuable feedback mechanism for assessing your skill set. The beautiful and terrifying thing about investment management is that the results of your performance are measured objectively. You either did well for people or you did not.

I have a friend who took a similar approach as me to getting work. He sent his research reports to investment firms every single month for two years and eventually got a job interview. By doing this process he taught himself to be an analyst.

Another tip is to read, read, read, read. Read investment texts. Read texts on geopolitics. Read texts on mergers and acquisitions. Read economic texts. And most of all read the news every single day and begin to develop an opinion about the news and how it affects different countries, industries, businesses, and individuals. The most important skill for any investor is: understanding information. Who understands information the best does better. Who understands information the best and acts decisively on that information wins the day.

Spend some time figuring out who you are as an analyst. This is critically important. Why? If your natural strengths as a thinker make you a good trader then you will be very frustrated working at a deep value, long-term focus money management firm. You want to develop skills that accentuate your existing talents and skills that compensate for your shortcomings.

Expect this process to take a lot of time.

Hope that helps,

Jason