Need Advice - Asset Management Analysts
Hello AM, Analysts

I was wondering if you may provide me advice as someone trying to get into the field. Specifically, I am someone with no background in AM but have 2 years of exp in CRE as a financial analyst. 

The reason I want to get into AM is that I want to add more value to the business via actual analysis rather than just providing the schedules or reports. 

**My background is in accounting and** ***I know it is a long shot****.* However, I was wondering if some of you could take a look at my resume and see whether there are ways to "spin" my experience to catch the attention of potential AM hiring managers. 

**Background:** I graduated from a top school at a major metropolitan area in Canada with an accounting degree (I honestly didn't know what I wanted to do with my life so Accounting was a safe step). Unfortunately, i had subpar grades so my first job was an unrelated position as an accountant at a fund admin (Crappy accounting job).

Luckily, after a year, I was able to land a position as a financial analyst at a major CRE (Private equity) shop and this has made me want to specialize in CRE. At this job, I provided support for Asset Managers, I oversaw the property accounting policies and provided various monthly schedules to AMs and took care of additional ad hoc AM requests. I was lucky to get the exposure to the AM side because most accounting jobs in CRE didn't interact with the front office (Such as property accounting). 

After a year and a half, I made a terrible mistake and applied for a senior financial reporting role at F500 company's CRE division. (This was a terrible mistake as the reason I left was because a new senior joined and I thought I was being undervalued for how much I did vs the new senior).

Ultimately, I was offered the position but the actual work is unfulfilling and miserable (far worse than before). I also realized that having the senior title and higher pay is irrelevant if what I am doing isn't developing myself as much as I like (especially in the field of CRE). I am now more on the Fund Side rather than the actual real estate side of things (if that makes sense). I prepare monthly fund financial packages and quarterly external investor reports. I learned that this is not something I want to do long term and is willing to start over in AM to do something more interesting. 

**Other Info:**   
\- I have passed the CPA and will be a fully designated CPA in the coming months  
\- I have a background in programming, I basically used a lot of my free time after work to learn to automate tasks and eventually lead me to go deeper in the programming world. The reason i was able to land my Senior Financial Analyst job was because of the programming projects I have done at my previous job, I showed them to the hiring manager who was impressed. I also do programming as a hobby on the side and have created various websites, games, etc. Currently, at my senior reporting job, I have automated various functions and the VP treats me well. However, my manager is old fashioned and gets angry at me improving processes (She will have to learn new things). 

**\[Imgur\](**[**https://i.imgur.com/jkFvTlv.png**](https://i.imgur.com/jkFvTlv.png)**)**

**TLTR:** I am a Financial Reporting Analyst at CRE shop and want to get exposure to the AM side ( I realized this is a long shot but I am willing to try). Wondering if AMs could take a look at my experience and tell me the best approach to spin it in order to be more attractive as a candidate.
[{"id": "fx1x2ga", "text": "Can you talk to your manager about an internal transfer to AM analyst? Easiest route.", "replies": [{"id": "fx23l2v", "text": "I plan to move out in the future as reporting is something i realized I can't do in the long term. I am willing to stay at my current job because I did commit to it when I signed the offer. However, my question is more aligned to what kind of skillets I should focus on to make myself a better AM analyst candidate down the line. Especially in what I am currently doing, maybe there is somethings I can possibly learn in reporting which can help me in AM. If I can identify those things, I will focus more closely", "replies": [{"id": "fx25bv0", "text": "I mean honestly you\u2019re doing some basic AM analyst work in your current role (assuming you aren\u2019t fluffing you\u2019re resume) most firms are way over staffed right now so being the first guy in during a retrenchment isn\u2019t good - the AM guys will get cut to keep deal guys busy - might want to talk to manager at your review about what it would take to transition to AM full time within your firm. Not to advocate not taking a leap but now isn\u2019t the best time.", "replies": [{"id": "fx25vup", "text": "Hey, thanks for your advice, I will not take a leap right now. If i am doing basic AM work why do firms have a Financial Analyst and another guy called \"Analyst, Asset Management\". This is something that has confused me for some time. I look up some AM job postings and it is true I do prepare a lot of the reports they do. \n\nHowever, there are often few bullet points such as providing market research, suggest cost saving measures as well as supporting the acquisition and dispositions that I do not think I get exposure to. To me this is more on the business strategy side rather than just providing reports (which is what I currently do). I think that's what attracts me to try and make that transition (This will be a long game and I am willing to stick it out until things get better.)", "replies": [{"id": "fx27ysn", "text": "Every firm is structured differently, honestly I can\u2019t tell you the difference sounds like some redundancy. I work for a super institutional shop and we have a bunch of redundant / overlapping roles like that, a lot of it is just firm history. \n\nWith respect to an AM analyst, the role really consists of financial modeling / reunderwrtint stuff, market research to support that, and generally other stuff to support the asset manager. Little bit of art little bit of science whole lot of communication.", "replies": [], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}, {"id": "fx2p0t0", "text": "Do you work for a GP? That's an interesting take about keeping deal guys busy. I feel like the worst acq guys will get cut before the worst AM's at most LPs (though my LP hasn't cut anyone yet.) Love to hear perspective on the GP side. My guess would be that the fee generation is more important for operators, especially the smaller ones. With the additional forecasting and loss mitigation-work most AM's need to do in a protracted downturn, I feel like most LPs and institutions in general are probably holding onto their AM's for a while", "replies": [{"id": "fx321nn", "text": "I work for an institutional investor. Some cuts to the acq side - wouldn\u2019t want to be on the retail team right now - but deal team is doing AM work now on their deals. No idea what\u2019s going on with GPS a lot of those guys are so small any cut would be super meaningful. I haven\u2019t heard of any rif or seen it at any go we work with yet.", "replies": [], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "fx237x7", "text": "I hope you do not mind that I comment on your work experience. You are falling into a \"job hopper\" trap. What you could have done better is stick it out. A few months here and 1 year some place is not likely to impress too many people. It is OK to be on a rotational assignment to learn the ropes and get a feel in another department within the corporation.  It is not OK to hop around saying you do not like this or that knowing it take several years to get good at it. McGill, U of T or whatnot school means little to prospective employers. They want to see someone who will do well for several years and wanting to assume more role in the same field. If I hire someone if I smell he is planning to leave I do not hire him period. Most college grads or even high school students can do fair amount of coding handling lots more data than their superiors. It is not really their job. Even with a CPA credential your current position is not required. To learn ERP well enough takes several years of practice.\n\nUnhappiness has to do with attitude. Ability to work with people at all levels. No where did you imply people appreciate your contribution. Personally many unhappy people take off from work get a MBA and start in another field.", "replies": [{"id": "fx23f9e", "text": "Thanks for the advice, I know I am about to fall into this trap and I am willing to stick it out for 2 years. However, in the long term I can't see myself doing reporting that's why I want to ask current AMs what kinda things I should keep an eye out for in terms of developing myself when I do apply in a year or two later.", "replies": [{"id": "fx242on", "text": "The opportunities for young accountants in 2020 awful business environment are limited. Price Water House (SJC) have many people leaving for a different reason. They will not make a senior. Most hang there for years to find out this is as high as they can go. They hit a glass ceiling. They open their own CPA firm. Wives become a realtor (PT). There is a lot involuntary retrenchment going on. Try to do your best and get the hang of what they expect you to do and get another life after work.", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "fx24tdf", "text": "Congrats on getting your CPA. That is not easy. \n\nAM at my current job does everything from helping acquisitions to investor relations and helping answer questions on current portfolios in fund. Unfortunately, many functions within AM are reporting and scheduling working alongside accounting so I do not believe its a long shot. You need to demonstrate your financial analysis skills and modeling. Running investment analysis, disposition analysis, sensitivity tables. As long as you are comfortable talking about this and understanding the fundamentals, you should be a great candidate considering you are a CPA and will inherently being comfortabe with numbers.", "replies": [{"id": "fx25bg4", "text": "Hello, thanks for the answer. This is one thing of the industry I do not understand, when I think AM, i think you are responsible for allocating capital, deciding on how to lease out buildings, which brokers to hire, cost saving initiatives for expenses etc. This is the kind of job I am looking for, if this isn't AM then I may be asking the wrong question. \n\nI notice some AM JDS out there are really similar to what I do atm in terms. It is really vague and says \"prepare various schedules or reports\". Can you give me a high over view of what you do as I may be misinterpreting AM. \n\nDo you guys partake in researching markets as well? For example, knowing hot markets vs cold markets, identifying good vs bad tenants, etc. \n\nI will definitely look up disposition analysis, investment analysis and sensitivity tables. Do you have any good resource (Books or courses) you recommend?", "replies": [{"id": "fx25z3y", "text": "AM functions can vary from company to company. I work for a small private equity firm and AM is involved in everything our company does. Acquisitions, leasing, operations, accounting, overseeing technology initiatives. In terms of researching the markets to invest in, it will vary but typically acquisitions have a good sense and bounce ideas off of AM, but both departments should have a good understanding becuase once you acquire the property, that asset now becomes AM job to run until it is sold.", "replies": [{"id": "fx26qkp", "text": "hey thanks for the info, I was wondering if you can give me an example of your performance metrics (I find that if I know the performance metrics I can get a good understanding of what the job entails). I know working in AM at a small shop vs big shop can vary but it is good to hear that some of what I do will help me in the long run. I am going to focus on learning the 40% i am not getting exposure to at my current role.", "replies": [{"id": "fxdow33", "text": "There are many metrics but I would recommend a modeling course or introduction into private equity investing book to lay the ground work.", "replies": [], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}, {"id": "fx2p0ru", "text": "AM varies from firm to firm, but typically AM will do what you're describing (capital allocation, leasing strategies, cost saving initiatives, determining disposition timing, etc), but they also do a lot of reporting, budgeting/forecasting, etc.\n\nIt's a very dynamic role and many firms use it differently. Be sure to get an understanding of what AM looks like wherever you're recruiting.", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}]