We looked at the gender split amongst internship and graduate roles in our recent industry report, Path to parity, and found that while women are awarded more of the short-term internship roles, men are twice as likely to secure the coveted, full-time graduate positions.
Why is this? And how can we help more women land a career-starting grad role?
The challenge of graduate development in investment teams
According to our report, only a third of investment firms offer intern and graduate roles, making these positions highly competitive. There are several reasons for this:
- Limited resources: Investment teams are often small and lack the capacity to bring on junior staff and invest time in training them.
- Experience bias: The industry tends to hire candidates with a few years of experience in finance-related roles, rather than straight out of university.
- Confidence gap and application rates: Research shows that men will apply for a job when they meet around 60% of the qualifications, while women tend to apply only if they meet 100%. This confidence gap means fewer women even enter the candidate pool, which impacts their chances of securing these competitive positions.
Why graduate roles are worth pursuing
Landing a graduate role is an incredible opportunity to kickstart a career in investment management. These roles provide practical experience, allowing you to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings. You get to work on live projects, learn from seasoned professionals, and understand the intricacies of the financial markets. Often, these roles also serve as a pipeline to full-time employment, giving you a competitive edge in the job market.
What employers are looking for in a graduate
Here’s a few things hiring managers value and appreciate in candidates. Be sure to go through this list and ensure you have it all covered:
- Academic excellence: Investment firms are looking for the brightest young minds in the country so put the work in at uni and blitz your degree so you are at the front of the pack.
- Passion and curiosity for markets: Show you have a genuine interest in the field by your proactive efforts to learn more about investing. Recruiters often mention that women don’t always demonstrate or articulate their passion for markets as clearly as their male counterparts, so be sure to stay across market news and trends, maybe join an investing club at uni, or participate in Future IM/Pact programs such as our Mentoring Circles and Investment Competition. Here are more great ways you can demonstrate your passion for investing.
- Industry knowledge: Have a basic understanding of the different sectors and roles within the industry, such as sell side/buy side, equities, real assets and so on. You can learn more about the different sectors and roles here.
- Investment experience: Manage your own investment portfolio, even a paper portfolio, and be ready to discuss your choices, including wins, losses, and the insights you've gained. Learn how to build your own investment portfolio here.
- Stock insights and investment thesis: Have some ideas about current stocks and companies that look promising and be prepared to explain why you believe they are good investments. Showcase your analytical and strategic thinking skills by talking through your investment thesis for different stock picks. Learn more about how to prepare an investment thesis here.
- Financial modelling: As an essential skill in investment management, it's important to understand financial modelling and the programs and data investors use to analyse various financial aspects of a business, such as Python. Read more about financial modelling here.
- Company research: Show a genuine interest in the company by doing thorough research. Understand their values, recent projects, and market position to convey why you want to work specifically for them and not just any company offering a graduate role.
Read more great tips and advice on How to set yourself up for an investing career here.
Connect with us at Future IM/Pact for job opportunities and support
At Future IM/Pact, we're committed to supporting you along your path to an investing career. We regularly promote internship and graduate opportunities through our newsletters and social media channels, and are just a phone call away if you ever need advice.
Often women feel they lack the technical skills or experience needed to land these roles, but these gaps can be bridged with study, mentorship, and practice. Be brave and take that leap - you’ve got what it takes to land your dream job in investing!
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