The idea of becoming a high-flying research investment analyst is an appealing one to say the least. Over the years, we’ve all seen those Wall Street-types portrayed in the media as somewhat frantic and frenzied individuals for whom each day represents a golden opportunity to earn a small fortune. Of course, much of the drama is blown wholly out of proportion for the sake of entertainment, but what’s far from fiction is the way in which this career is indeed every bit as fast-paced and potentially lucrative as you may have come to expect.
What’s safe to say across the board is that when a new research investment analyst steps into the role for the first time, around 99% are wholly unprepared for what awaits them. Easy Equity Analyst vacancies simply don’t exist and to say there’s a steep learning curve would be something of an understatement – it’s a bit like taking the leap from reading a book on major surgery to going ahead and performing a kidney transplant…diving in at the deep end redefined. It’s therefore important to arm yourself with as much information and advice as possible ahead of time in order to help you preempt what’s to come and keep rude awakenings to a minimum.
What to Expect on the Job
In terms of what exactly is it you’ll be responsible for as a research investment analyst, the job description is technically quite simple. Summed up in basic terms, you will be responsible for keeping tabs on pretty much anything and everything that could have an influence on the balance sheets of the business you work for with regard to their stocks and investments. It’s up to you to determine what investments make sense and which to stay away from, when the time comes to buy or sell stocks and to always preempt any major shifts or changes before they occur.
In order to achieve this, it’s crucial to keep on top of what’s going on all over the world on a pretty relentless 24/7 basis. It’s a case of keeping up to speed with the world’s leading financial publications, blogs and websites, while at the same time closely following all relevant financial news and doing your own private research on peers, the competition and the state of the industry in general. Quite simply, you need to make sure that when and where anything of even slight significance happens anywhere in the world, you not only find out about it but find out about it before anyone else. So, if it sounds like you’re on-call 24 hours a day and every day, that’s because you may well be!
Much of the work you do on a daily basis will revolve around long and complicated spreadsheets, charts, graphs and balance sheets – all of which need to be analyzed and studied for signs of patterns in order for forecasts to be made. It’s a case of using what’s available to you to gain a deep insight into the financial workings of the business you’re looking into and indeed the industry and the market as a whole. This is the information that will help you formulate your projections, which must be made in accordance with global economic factors and pressures at the time.
Chances are you will also find yourself travelling quite a lot, as it’s one thing to follow the fortunes of a business online or by email, but another entirely to pay it a visit yourself and ask your own essential questions. For some analysts, it’s common to spend very little time at all in their home countries as if the business they work for specialises primary in overseas interests, chances are this is where you’ll find yourself more often than not.
And of course, you’ll be charged with playing a huge role in ensuring that the company’s balance sheets and general finances are in order, making the research investment analyst role one that blurs the line between that and the accountancy department.
Tips for Getting Ahead
The one thing that should be more than a little obvious with all of the above information is the way in which getting ahead means being able to handle financial documentation and paperwork with one hand tied behind your back and your eyes closed…not literally, of course. It’s not a case of simply being proficient with things like PowerPoint and standard spreadsheet layouts, but knowing how to dive right into important financial documents and extract the most important details in a heartbeat.
