How to get a job in investing

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: Andrew Walker delivers a non-investing episode focused on practical job-search advice for young people trying to break into public market investing. He emphasizes proving genuine interest through credentials, using personalized outreach, presenting non-obvious stock pitches based on real-world scuttlebutt, and building a public writing presence via a pseudonymous Substack to improve skills, credibility, and network effects.

Main Topics: Target Audience and Episode Purpose (Priority: 5/5): Walker frames the episode as advice for college students, MBA students, and young professionals trying to enter public market investing, not for retirees or older listeners. He wants to create a single reference point for recurring job-advice requests. Build Credibility Before Applying (Priority: 5/5): He argues aspiring investors should show commitment by signing up for and passing CFA Level 1, starting to invest personally, and ideally launching a pseudonymous Substack. These activities signal work ethic, interest, and basic finance fluency. Write Better Intro Emails (Priority: 5/5): He criticizes generic cold emails and recommends highly personalized outreach that proves the sender has done research. The best format is an email referencing the recipient’s work and offering to swap ideas on a specific stock pitch. Use a Non-Obvious Stock Pitch (Priority: 5/5): A strong interview pitch must go beyond SEC filings and generic valuation talk. Walker urges candidates to gather unique, first-hand insights from industry participants—franchisees, doctors, advertisers, etc.—to show original thinking and effort. Leverage Background and Network Effects (Priority: 4/5): He explains how non-traditional candidates can use prior work experience, school connections, and industry contacts to generate differentiated research and relationship-building opportunities that may later translate into jobs. Substack as a Career-Development Tool (Priority: 5/5): Walker promotes a pseudonymous Substack as a way to improve writing, sharpen investing judgment, attract feedback, build a following, and create serendipitous job opportunities or even future funds/jobs. Offer to Help, But Only for Serious Candidates (Priority: 4/5): He says he is willing to spend time with people who demonstrate effort and genuine interest, but not to respond to mass cold emails. The episode is partly designed to filter for people who have actually done the work.

Key Arguments: Public market investing candidates should signal seriousness through visible credentials like CFA Level 1, personal investing activity, and writing. Cold, mass-sent emails are ineffective; personalized outreach with specific references to the recipient’s work is far more likely to get a response. The strongest intro email offers a two-way exchange: the applicant shares a pitch and asks for feedback on it. Interview pitches should be grounded in real-world research and unique insights, not just valuations, multiples, or SEC filings. College students and young professionals have an advantage because they can more easily call industry participants and gather first-hand scuttlebutt. A good pitch demonstrates both investing judgment and the candidate’s willingness to do legwork. A pseudonymous Substack helps candidates improve their investing, writing, and network while keeping future flexibility. Even if a Substack does not directly lead to a job, the process still improves skills and can create future opportunities. People who do the work and show thoughtful engagement can build relationships that compound over time. The episode is intended to help listeners become more employable and to make outreach to Walker more meaningful and efficient.

Data Points: Approximate emails received: 15 over the past three weeks - Walker says he has recently received a wave of job/internship emails from listeners seeking advice. Repeat email volume expectation: Another 15 over the next three weeks - He expects outreach to continue increasing as the school year begins. Podcast timing: Middle to late August 2025 - He records the episode as students return to school and MBA programs. Recommended CFA level: CFA Level 1 - He specifically tells listeners to sign up for and pass Level 1 as an immediate credibility signal. Suggested outreach volume: 40 firms - He uses sending personalized emails to around 40 firms as an example of scaling targeted outreach. Personalized response estimate: 37 of 40 - He claims that with a well-crafted, personalized email, most firms would at least talk on Zoom. Typical intro call length: 30 minutes - He suggests asking for a 30-minute Zoom to discuss an idea or pitch. Substack cadence: 1 article per week for 6 months - He recommends consistent writing to improve investing and writing ability and to build an audience. Number of interview themes: 4 points - He says the episode will cover proving interest, intro emails, stock pitches, and gaining an edge.

Pivotal Quotes: "go sign up for the CFA right now" — Andrew Walker: He urges young candidates to use the CFA as a strong signal of commitment and finance basics. "I think the best hook you can do when you're sending an email is an investing idea and an offer to swap thoughts" — Andrew Walker: He explains the ideal structure of outreach to investors or firms. "you need to have an investment pitch that goes beyond the SEC filings" — Andrew Walker: He stresses that candidates must bring unique, non-obvious research to interviews.

Implications: Aspiring investors should act like future professionals now: build credentials, write publicly, network thoughtfully, and gather real-world insights. Candidates who do this can improve their odds, while firms may see more sophisticated, better-prepared applicants.