Do you like to look behind the numbers? Do you like to analyze market trends? Do you get an adrenaline rush when a stock takes off? If so, then money management may be the career for you. Money managers hold stocks and bonds for institutional clients and are on the buy side of Wall Street. Some money managers use the latest sophisticated quantitative techniques while others do very well using simple intuition.

Each money manager has their own unique style. The key to being successful is to have discipline, be broad-minded and be willing to admit defeat if an investment goes against you. Many money managers buy and hold fixed income securities including mortgaged-backs, corporate bonds, munis, agency securities and asset-backed securities. Others focus on equities, including small stocks, large caps and emerging market stocks.

Unfortunately, it is hard to get started in money management. It is particularly hard to start working for the best money managers or a top mutual fund. Good places to start are in bank trust departments, state and local pension funds and in insurance companies. Many people cross over into money management after getting years of experience on the sell side of the business in investment banks. Perhaps one of the best ways to break in is on the marketing side.

If you have the social skills and intelligence required to market money management services, there will be many companies interested in hiring you. To get started today, be sure to study portfolio theory, learn fixed income investments, take the CFA exam and, above all, learn the industry. And then, with a little luck, you will enjoy one of the most personally rewarding careers in the world of business: Money Management.

Resources

• Skills & Talents Required in Investment Management / Hedge Funds
• Job Options in Money Management
• Salaries in Money Management
• Links, Books & Resources for Money Management Careers
  
• Facts & Trends in the Area
  
• Top Money Managers
  

Background Reading and Resources

• Vault Career Guide to Investment Management
• Vault Guide to the Top 25 Investment Management Employers: 2009 Edition
• Hedge Me: The Insider's Guide - Hedge Fund Careers
• Vault Career Guide to Hedge Funds

Job Listings

• Find Money Management Jobs on thousands of job sites with one search. Provided by Indeed.com, "a one stop shop for job seekers" (Wall Street Journal).
• eFinancialCareers
• Financial Job Bank
• Hedge Fund Jobs
• PE Hub Job Listings
• QuantFinance Jobs

Blogs, Tidbits and Miscellenea

• Abnormal Returns
• Lifetime Finance Blog of Bill Sharpe.
• Brad DeLong's Blog
• DealBreaker
• Kudlow's Blog
• Seeking Alpha
• Trader's Narrative
• Zero Hedge