Quote from doublet83:
Can you get into a good investment management firm straight out of a top mba program? Don't the good buy-side shops hire fairly strictly from banking tracks? I've worked at mediocre investment management firms and the experience leaves much to be desired. Unfortunately the ratio of mediocre firms to good firms is very high.
I suppose sell side research is an option after you graduate, and that's something I've considered myself.
It's hard to get, but the top investment management firms (pimco, wellington, fidelity, templeton, t rowe price, state street, putnam, capital group, etc.) all recruit at top business schools. Getting an interview isn't that hard, but you definitely have to nail the interviews to get an offer. The good thing about these top b-schools is that they give you so much access to firms that you otherwise may not have a chance of even getting an interview at.
Its much much harder to get into getco or jump than to get into pimco or templeton!