YourEDGE mentoring
Providing women with at least two years’ work experience with mentoring, advocacy and skills development to break into investment management
Applications for our 2024 program have now closed.
Want support to launch your investment management career?
Are you a smart and ambitious woman looking to break into investment management and land your first front-office investing role? YourEDGE, our first-of-its-kind 6-month mentoring and advocacy program, is for you! We’ll pair you with an experienced investor who will mentor you and help plug any skill gaps whilst advocating for your potential and opening doors to opportunities.
Our extensive network of industry partners is actively looking for emerging female investors. They trust us to nurture that talent on their behalf, so don’t miss this unique opportunity to get your foot in the door.
The go-to program for career women who want the support, access and development opportunities needed to strengthen their appeal as future investment talent as they pursue their dream career in front-office investing.
Ready to take the next step? Our mentors will help you get there
A six month 1:1 mentoring program
1:1
mentor
You’ll be paired with an industry expert who’ll meet with you monthly to offer tailored advice based on your aspirations – no more general, confusing suggestions.
Direct introductions
Expand your networks with personal introductions to investors, increasing your visibility among hiring firms – no longer a faceless name on an application.
Skills
development
Be supported to develop a robust investment thesis and hone your interpersonal skills so you’re job ready when opportunities come up – no more questioning if you’re good enough.
Advocacy
and support
Benefit from the endorsement of professional investors, leveraging their reputational capital and giving you the competitive edge – no more standing on your own professing your capabilities into a black hole.
Who are we looking for?
YourEDGE is for women who are passionate about markets and investing, have excellent school and university grades, and are trying to crack into (or back into) a front-office investing role. Typically, that means you’re likely to be a woman:
- With 2-5+ years experience in feeder roles such as investment banking, management consulting, or corporate finance (but don’t let that limit you; investment managers are increasingly interested in recruiting talent with diverse experience)
- In a back-office role, wishing to move into the front-office
- Returning to the investment management industry after an absence
- Who has interviewed for investment management roles but missed out due to a lack of technical skills or confidence
- Who is super intelligent and ambitious and will make a great investor with the right guidance and support.
How to apply
Get your
application in!
Applications close 30 April 2024. High school and university results required and financial modelling experience or a willingness to self-learn is mandatory.
Total commitment to the six-month program is also required, and you will need to complete an investment case study as part of the program.
Check
your inbox
Commit to the
program
Finalise your program fee of $150 plus GST and sign your letter of intent.
Get ready
to go
It was so great to meet a diverse range of professionals in the investment management world. The mentors are so generous with their advice and genuinely want to see us succeed.
Get started by attending an information session in your state
Meet your mentors
Partner / Investment Adviser ,
LGT Crestone
Your EDGE frequently asked questions
YourEDGE is a first-of-its-kind mentorship program designed for women who are on the edge of breaking into the investment management industry but need a little extra support and upskilling to get over the line. Through a structured 6-month program, participants are paired with a professional investor who not only provides guidance and networking opportunities, but also supports you to develop and present an investment thesis (so you can demonstrate your technical skills when you go for interviews), enhancing both technical and non-technical skills while providing a platform to showcase your capabilities to industry.
YourEDGE is open to women currently working in roles outside investment management and are passionate about pursuing a career in front-office investing. To be eligible, you will need:
- Minimum two years experience in an industry such as investment banking, management consulting, corporate finance etc. While these are the typical industries that feed into investment management, we’re open to women with alternative experience such as engineering or scientific research, but don’t let your current experience stop you if you have a genuine passion for markets.
- Strong academic credentials including ATAR (or equivalent) of 95 and above, and distinction average at university.
- Financial modelling skills (or a willingness to self-teach before/during the program: we’ll send you links to recommended courses).
- Demonstratable passion and curiosity for markets.
This is a six-month program and requires you to spend around 2-4 hours each week researching market trends and preparing your case study, in addition to a monthly 1-hour mentoring session with your mentor. If you need to upskill on financial modelling, you may need to devote a bit more time. We understand you have a demanding day job and busy life, so we’re committed to ensuring this is time well spent. That’s why we’re connecting you to potential employers and giving you a platform to shine through your investment case study. If you have a genuine interest in investment management, this should feel more like fun than work!
We have a diverse range of mentors available within the program. They’re all professional investors currently working within one of our partner firms. They each bring years of experience and industry connections, and importantly have a genuine desire to help the next generation of female investors land their dream job.
Participants are carefully matched with experienced industry professionals based on their career goals, interests, and areas for growth. Our team takes into account each participant’s preferences and aspirations to ensure a compatible and productive mentorship experience.
You will meet with your mentor once a month throughout the 6-month program (May to November), allowing you time to form a meaningful connection. Your mentor will provide personalised guidance and career advice, sharing their experiences and industry insights to help you navigate challenges and land your dream job. They’ll support you in developing and presenting an investment thesis, helping to plug any skills gaps and boost your confidence and capabilities.
The Future IM/Pact team will also support you throughout the program with regular check-ins and ad-hoc assistance whenever you need it.
Over the six-month program, you will be mentored and supported in developing an investment thesis based on one of the case studies in the library of resources that will be provided to you. You will be offered resources and tailored advice to help you build your investment thesis and present it with confidence at an in-person industry event in November. We understand you may never have prepared an investment thesis before, so we will help you get up to speed. It will be important that you already have financial modelling skills or a willingness to develop them. Check out these resources for more information: How to prepare an investment thesis and What is financial modelling?
Whilst the most important requirement for this program is a genuine passion for investment management, there are some technical skills required. The centrepiece of the program (as it will help you secure a role in the future) involves developing an investment thesis around an investment case study. In order to adequately analyse and make recommendations, you will need to build financial models. If you don’t have that experience, you can develop them before the program starts in May or throughout the program – we’ll just need your commitment to do so. Check out these resources for more information: How to prepare an investment thesis and What is financial modelling?
No. we understand everyone has busy lives, some may want to take their time with their applications, others may want to submit it straight away. We don’t have a preference, and what is most important is getting the application in by the deadline. We wont be looking at them until 1May, so there isn’t any pressure to get them in early.
Mentors have a range of experience and cover most asset classes from domestic equities to fixed income and wealth management. The complete list is as follows:
- Commodities
- Domestic equities
- Real estate
- Fixed income
- Infrastructure
- Debt
- Private equity
- Venture capital
- Multi-asset
- Wealth management.
You can find out more about the asset classes here.
Yes! Your passion for investing and determination to pursue a career in investment management is more important than the industry you’re currently working in. While the typical feeder industries are an advantage, as you will likely have had exposure to financial modelling and analysis, these are skills you can learn. The most important thing is demonstrating a genuine passion and curiosity for markets and investing. If you love companies, follow the business news, dabble in the share market, and want to make an impact on the world through capital allocation, this is the industry and mentoring program for you!
You can apply for the YourEDGE program by completing the online application form and submitting the required documents, such as a resume and letter to your mentor. Applications open on 1 April, and detailed information about selection criteria and next steps will be on our website. Applications close on 30 April, and our team will review submissions and notify participants regarding the next steps in the enrolment process.
The program will officially kick off on 30 May and run through until November 2024. Here are the key dates to be aware of:
- 26 March – Information session (Brisbane)
- 27 March – Information session (Melbourne)
- 1 April – Applications open
- 3 April – Information session (Sydney)
- 30 April – Applications close
- May-November – Program duration
As you are undertaking this program as an individual and not through your organisation, there is no need to inform your current employer if you don’t feel comfortable with that. It’s the same as starting a new online wellness program or additional study. This is your personal time, and it is completely up to you to share it with your colleagues
Don’t underestimate how hard it is to crack into investment management, even if you’re currently working on the sell-side. Roles are rare and highly competitive. This program will help you get really clear on which area of investment management most suits you and how to best position yourself for that opportunity when you’re ready to make the move.
No, make your cover letter about you, your ambitions, your aspirations and why investment management is the only option for you.
Describe all the ways you’ve tried to break into the industry yourself and what attracted you to the program. Make sure you highlight what you hope to get out of YourEDGE and how you will contribute to the program.
The letter will be sent to your mentor once matches have been made and will be used to get an insight into you.
There isn’t a specific tone for the cover letter. A tone that is representative of you and your style and personality is best.
If you have a question not addressed in this FAQ, you can contact our Program Director, Laila Hage-Ali, on 0433 299 741 or via email at laila@future-impact.com.au.
There are a couple of ways to approach choosing a mentor. First, is selecting the mentor that works in the investment class you’re most interested in, the other is selecting one that has had a career path that interests you. Either way, we recommend selecting someone who is in your state as it may lead to in-person mentoring sessions which may be more effective/impactful than virtual.
Please note that we can’t guarantee you will be assigned to your chosen mentor.
Featured resources
Mentors provided by the following organisations
